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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28016934">Bitter Taste</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/switchbladebarbie/pseuds/switchbladebarbie'>switchbladebarbie</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>'mudblood' is used a LOT, 1943, 1944, 1945, Arranged Marriages, Blood supremacy, Character Death, Death, F/M, Hogwarts, Hogwarts Seventh Year, Hogwarts Sixth Year, Hogwarts summer, Horcrux Creation, Horcruxes, Its only theo's grandad im sorry, Main Character is just mean, Manipulation, Manipulative Gellert Grindelwald, Nightmares, Not Quite Soul Mates, Possessive Tom Riddle, Sane Tom Riddle, Tom Riddle Being an Asshole, Torture, Young Tom Riddle, broken soul bonds, soul bonds</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-05-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 21:28:35</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>122,467</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28016934</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/switchbladebarbie/pseuds/switchbladebarbie</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>"A woman who recognises her true worth is a dangerous woman, Thomas" she hissed, "and Salazar help you the day you truly come to realise it".</p><p>Aurora Rosier was unlike anyone Tom Riddle had ever met. She was arrogant, argumentative and a complete snob. Unfortunately, she was also astute, witty and breathtakingly talented. All in all, she never failed to leave him with a rather bitter taste in his mouth.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Abraxas Malfoy/Original Character(s), Charlus Potter/Dorea Black Potter, Tom Riddle &amp; Original Character(s), Tom Riddle/Original Female Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>90</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Long Time, No See</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Aurora Rosier was, truly, the Pureblood Princess.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>From the way she commanded the hallways of Hogwarts, flanked by her small group of friends, sneering at anyone who dared to even look at her that she deemed unworthy to be blessed by her mere existence, to the way she was always dressed to the nines, regardless of the occasion, purely to flaunt her wealth. As far as she was aware, every other student should be lining up to lick the dirt off of her shoes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She had been at Hogwarts for five years, and those five years had been more than enough time for the school to collectively decided to never even think of intentionally crossing the universally feared Pureblood Princess of Hogwarts because Merlin knows that her cool exterior was merely masking the poised viper within her that was ready to strike at all times.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>An enigma to everyone who knew her, the subject of her almost unmatched magical abilities and disappearances every summer being a hot topic of Hogwarts’ infamous gossip mill, churning out a myriad of theories and stories about how and why she was able to have someone crying out in pain with a simple flick of her wand, or why every word she spoke to those she saw as inferior was laced with a venom far too strong to be a simple sense of self-perceived authority. If only they knew just how venomous she truly was.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ever since that first Welcome Feast when the Sorting Hat had been set upon her head and declared her a Slytherin, she had made it a personal goal to embody every single trait of the serpent’s house to her upmost ability, even if it meant having to break as many rules as needed and obliviating the necessary parties afterwards. A devil hidden beneath white blonde hair and flirtatious looks, Aurora Rosier was possibly the most dangerous witch to ever grace the halls of that school, and they didn't even know it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>*</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sixth year for Aurora started the same as most previous years, with the train ride on the Hogwarts Express dragging dully on, staring blankly out the window at the rolling English countryside and barely listening to the girls she had acquainted herself with so many years ago indulge in every last bit of Wizarding society gossip Olive had been able to weasel out of the latest edition of Witch Weekly that Aurora truly couldn't care less about. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She hadn't yet allowed herself a moment to truly reflect on her summer, and she really didn't plan to either. Whilst most witches would probably kill to spend their holidays in France, Aurora had come to find it far more of a chore. The thought almost made her laugh at the irony. Having said that, she supposed the entertainment provided when she was there wasn't too bad. Her aunt Vinda had always been sure to deliver on that front.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was when the mention of the latest betrothals came up, did Aurora allow herself to examine the fellow Slytherins she would be keeping in her company for another year. Even the short couple of months she had spent away from England had been enough time for all three of them to change ever so slightly, and she wanted to make sure she hadn’t missed a single detail. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Across from her in their compartment, Olive Hornby was leading the gossip session as always, having spent the last hour telling the three other girls in the compartment about who had been having affairs with who. Her light blonde hair was curled back neatly from her face, which was currently adorning a wicked yet incredibly vexing smile, as though she felt she was currently sat on some of the wizarding worlds biggest secrets. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora could barely stand Olive, the girl was abrasive and a complete ditz, and truthfully only kept her company out of pity as she was rather detestable and unlikely to find any other friends were Aurora to drop her. The only things she seemed to have any talent for were prying secrets from people and being able to cast a half-decent glamour charm on herself.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Sweet Salazar above, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Aurora thought to herself as her voice continued to ring around the small compartment,</span>
  <em>
    <span> if only she could understand just how much I want to rip her fucking tongue out.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Her gaze shifted to the pale girl sitting next to Olive, taking in the mass of dark curls that were falling cascading down her back and shoulders, framing her sharp face. Dorea Black sat with perfect posture, and much like Aurora was taking a dislike to the rather dire topics of conversation although doing a much finer job of masking her distaste, merely nodding her head and humming in agreement every now and then. Dorea was the picture of a well trained Pureblood daughter, and Aurora had to give her credit for that. Every governess Aurora had been subjected to over the years for the same training had left running for the hills, claiming the young Rosier was beyond help. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Unlike Olive, Aurora actually liked Dorea, although she did sometimes feel rather put out by the girl's unwillingness to ever make her allegiances clear. She was the girl who would stand back and observe as Aurora hexed the mudbloods by the Black Lake, neither supporting nor condemning her actions and that put Aurora on edge. The only thing that prevented her from ever challenging Dorea for her stances was the fact she came from the wealthiest and most influential magical family in England, and the connection she provided Aurora with was far too valuable. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Moving on from Dorea, Aurora's eyes landed on the girl who had taken the seat next to her. Thea Selwyn was Aurora's oldest friend. She was one of the few children her parents had deemed worthy enough to let her interact with before starting Hogwarts, and Aurora supposed that had to count for her being one of the only people she trusted. Thea, living up to her namesake, was truly a goddess. Her pin-straight chestnut hair fell to just above her shoulders, and her olive skin seemed to glow the afternoon light filtering through the train window. She was warmer than Dorea, smarter than Olive and a great deal kinder than Aurora. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Really, she was too good for any of them. She was sat with the same Pureblood posture as Dorea, whilst also engaging in Olive's folly gossip, something Aurora knew she had come to tolerate purely out of a willingness to include the poor girl in the group. Aurora had always told her it was a very Hufflepuff thing for her to do, but Thea never failed to remind her that you never know when a connection with someone may prove useful. A fittingly Slytherin answer if she ever heard one.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora snapped out of her tranced at the sound of Olive's grating voice asking her a question.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"So 'Rora, have your parents decided on who to make a betrothal agreement with yet?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora stared at the girl, incredulous, all of a sudden awash with the thought of how fun it would be to throttle the stupid little bint until she was begging for mercy.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>No</span>
  </em>
  <span>, she thought, </span>
  <em>
    <span>save it for when you don't have any witnesses, Dorea would be most upset if she ended up having to clean Olive’s blood off her dress.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Instead, Aurora cleared her throat, demanding the attention of the other two girls in the carriage, and gave Olive a shallow smile, but paired with a scathing gaze that would cause even a dragon to wither.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No,” she replied, her voice dripping with false sweetness, "my parents know better than to interfere with my personal affairs."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Olive, visibly taken aback by the response, began stuttering almost inaudibly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"N-no, o-of cou-course they do, sorry 'Rora."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Quite," Aurora quipped with a small smile and turning back to gaze out the window, privately entertained by how easily she could have the girl quivering in fear of her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Of course, she hadn't completely lied. Aurora would rather be gutted alive than have her parents even attempt to find a match for her, but after the summer she had spent in Paris, Aurora has far greater responsibilities at hand than becoming some Wizard's wife. As far as she was aware, she would be dead before she was forced to marry. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Olive had turned her attention back to Thea, directing the same question to her. Dorea had already deflected Olive's interrogations, stating that she had plans for after Hogwarts that left betrothal far below her list of priorities, leaving Aurora to wonder what the girl really had planned. The Blacks would never allow a daughter to hold out on being married off and despite her moral ambiguity, Dorea was no different in that regard. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Despite herself, Aurora was still listening to the conversation as she was rather interested to hear if there had been any development in Thea's situation, after all, she hadn't seen nor heard from her all summer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Actually, my parents reached an agreement with the Malfoys, I'm going to be marrying Abraxas when we’ve completed our seventh year."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora has whipped her head back around embarrassingly fast, to see a shy smile creeping onto her friend's face, although there was something else behind her eyes that Aurora couldn't quite place.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In no way did Thea look happy, if anything she looked in pain. Her attempt at a smile had turned into more of a grimace, causing Aurora to narrow her eyes every so slightly towards her friend. Sixteen years was a long time to get to know someone, and if she knew anything about Thea it was that she would never have protested to anything her parents had proposed to her, even if it was a betrothal she didn’t want. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora’s observation of the less than joyous mood of the betrothed was not universally noticed, however.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sweet Salazar Thea, you bagged yourself a Malfoy?" Olive screeched, Aurora’s hands practically itching to reach out and wrap around the base of her throat until her face turned blue.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Even Dorea looked mildly impressed at the revelation, if slightly suspicious. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"How come you never wrote to me to tell me?" Aurora questioned, frowning slightly whilst pinning Thea with a curious look. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Malfoy Family was one of the most influential families in their world, with Abraxas' father being the current advisor to the Minister of Magic, and marriage into their family would be no small matter. It seemed odd for Thea to keep such a big piece of her life from Aurora. They were meant to be friends, weren't they?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Not only that, but Aurora had always considered Abraxas a close companion, and to think she had been left out of the loop by not one, but two people she had come to trust left her feeling somewhat sour. Thea’s cheeks flushed dark pink as she spoke.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh well, it all happened rather fast and well, I didn't really think about telling anyone anything until all the logistics had been agreed on and-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A light knocking interrupted Thea's explanations, causing all heads to turn to the compartment door, and Aurora to release a sharp exhale of frustration when the all too familiar mop of wavy dark hair and deep brown eyes made himself known at the entrance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Rosier, I'd suggest you get changed and make your way to the prefect's compartment before Dippet relieves you of your role for abandonment of duties,"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He smirked, clearly having taken not of Aurora's less than enthusiastic reaction to his arrival.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Fucking hell,</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Aurora quietly cursed to herself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He quirked an eyebrow at her utterance, but Aurora simply adorned a sickly sweet smile, locking eyes with the arrogant boy who was continuing to smirk down at her. He was already in his school robes (</span>
  <em>
    <span>of course he was, the bloody swot, he probably slept in them last night</span>
  </em>
  <span>), prefect badge shining proudly from the left of his chest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She supposed he probably went to the liberty of shining the thing each morning, given how much he loved to push in people's faces the authority it gave him over them. The thought was enough to almost make her laugh, but she suppressed the outburst long enough to continue to give him a quick once over.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She also noticed that he had grown once again over the summer, having certainly surpassed six-foot, and definitely leaving him with a boost to his already thriving superiority complex, now that he would be able to literally look down on people rather than just figuratively. Finally, she took note of a new glint in his eyes, something sinister and dark that definitely had not been there when they had departed King's Cross last year, and recognised it as a look she knew all too well. She took a mental note to address that little development with him during their prefect rounds. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Standing up to brush down her skirt, making a point to gather her uniform and robes from the suitcase stowed above her head before even breathing a word in his direction, she ran through a mental list of every place she had seen that specific look before. For most people she would shrug the idea off, thinking each situation more unlikely than the rest. Yet the specimen who was observing her from the compartment door was somehow different. If her suspicions were correct, it would be quite the juxtaposition from the pedestal every single teacher in that fucking school felt the need to set him upon. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She felt almost drawn to him, if not somewhat wary. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Olive, Thea and Dorea sat in silence, eyes flicking between Aurora and the newcomer as if they were afraid to talk. Olive’s gaze seemed to linger on him more than Aurora, but that was expected of girl by this point, whilst Dorea and Thea seemed to be surrounded by an air of uneasiness, knowing full well that if either decided they were in the mood for an argument at that moment things would likely escalate very quickly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Just for the sake of it, Aurora slowly drew her wand from its pocket of her bag, making a show of sliding it into the robe she had slung over her arm. The actual wand was pointless, given the Trace and them not having reached Hogwarts yet, but she wanted to let the warning hang in the air even so. Besides, she wasn’t above causing a physical altercation, regardless of her opponent’s gender.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>If he had noticed her subtle gesture, he made no move to suggest he had heeded it, only crossing his arms and leaning against the door frame as he studied her, his smirk spreading further across his face. It was the sight of Olive beginning to bat her eyes at him that cause Aurora to finally relent, not being prepared to deal with her any longer. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She turned, facing him fully. She’d always thought he was rather bland looking, despite being deemed as the heartthrob of the year group. She knew it was only being he was viewed as this unattainable icon to most girls, but for someone who was able to have anything she wanted, unattainability just didn’t cut it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Not fawning over his every action made interacting with the arrogant arsehole far easier. She matched him with an equally cocky smirk.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Long time, no see, Riddle."</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. My Lord</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tom Riddle held Aurora's eye contact for an uncomfortably long time.</p><p>If there was anything the boy loved more than trying to assert his control over any person or situation possible, it was riling up the Pureblood Princess until he could see the vein in her neck begin to pulse.</p><p>"Well," he finally broke their little staring contest, much to the delight of her little gaggle "I'll wait outside for you."</p><p>Tom turned, closing the compartment door behind him, and smiling as he began to imagine the string of insults Aurora was conjuring in her mind at the moment, thought he knew she's never verbalise the, she was far too composed.</p><p>So far, Tom's train journey had been relatively uneventful, consisting mainly of threatening first years who got in his way, and hosting a small meeting with his closest followers to outline their plans for this year. After the opening of the Chamber of Secrets, Tom had become aware of his need to remain even more careful as to not draw any unwanted attention, especially with Professor Dumbledore's new found interest with him.</p><p>It took Aurora ten minutes to emerge from her compartment, dressed smartly as always but her skirt falling slightly too short for a normal Pureblood, just above he knees. Like him, her prefect badge was sat on the left side of her robes, but lacked the shine his had. He supposed she never even bothered to clean hers.</p><p>Much like she had done to him in the compartment, he allowed himself a moment to look over her, noting that her hair was a couple inches longer than it had been last year, falling to her elbows now, and her normally milky skin was unusually tanned, and now adorned a light smattering of freckles. It was a shame, really, that she had to have such an arrogant personality and sport that Merlin awful sneer at all times, or Tom might almost find her rather beautiful.</p><p>"Are you quite done checking me out, Riddle?" she cooed, smirking slightly as Tom snapped his eyes back up to meet hers.</p><p>"Always one for self flattery, aren't you darling?" he responded, his tone laced with just as much sarcasm as her.</p><p>Laughing lightly at the cold stare he was now being fixed with, Tom turned and began to make his way towards the prefects compartment, not caring to check she was following him.</p><p>"I must confess, I was rather shocked to see the school would be remaining open this year, especially after the bitch fit the parents threw after that girl was killed." Aurora's sweet voice drifted over his shoulder.</p><p>Turning his head slightly at her sudden outburst of crude language, Tom slowed his pace until she was walking beside him.</p><p>"I suppose you're right. What are your feelings on the matter, Rosier? Should the school have closed in light of such a tragedy?"</p><p>Aurora looked up and down the corridor, clearly not keen on having her response overheard, and the leaned in close enough that Tom could feel he hot breath dancing gently across his ear as she began to whisper.</p><p>"A Mudblood is a Mudblood, as far as I'm aware, the school is better off with one less dirtying the halls."</p><p>Tom smiled down at the floor as she pulled herself back, greatly pleased with the somewhat cruel answer her had received. The girl may be insufferable at times, but at least she had the right morals.</p><p>Before Tom could formulate his response, they had reached the prefects compartment, and were having their rotas passed round, as well as having tasks for moving the students off the train allocated. Tom sighed heavily when he was tasked with herding the first years towards the Black Lake, not missing the amused smile that had appeared on Aurora's face at the sight of his visible discontent.</p><p>He was sure he could make her pay for that little stunt at a later date.</p><p>*</p><p>The start of year feast want by like most, the Sorting Hat spewing out a a tirade of warnings against turning on one another is such 'unprecedented times', leaving Tom feeling somewhat put out, as if someone or something could see into his mind or future plans.</p><p>It wouldn't deter him, of course.</p><p>Headmaster Dippet had long since finished his speech, and Tom watched as the group of new Slytherins chattered excitedly at the end of the table, marvelling at the mounds of food that had had appeared out of thin air.</p><p>His attention was drawn back to his company at the sound of choking from next to him.</p><p>It appeared Raoul Lestrange had attempted to eat slightly too much potato to swallow.</p><p>Tom mere stared at him, whilst Abraxas Malfoy and Arche Avery laughed heartily at him from across the table.</p><p>"Your inability to properly eat food at the age of 16 truly astounds me, Lestrange." Tom drawled.</p><p>Lestrange continued to cough and splutter, until the seventh year sat on his other side hit him hard in the back, causing small amounts of potato to go flying across the table.</p><p>Tom scowled at Lestrange as he flicked the remnants of the boy's food off his plate, whilst Avery was clutching at his stomach and Malfoy was doubled over with laughter.</p><p>"Salazer fuck, Raoul, you really never learnt how to eat properly." Abraxas managed out between heaves.</p><p>Lestrange's face reddened slightly at the blond boy's jibe.</p><p>"Yeah well some of us don't have our daddies to pay for etiquette classes, do we Malfoy?" He bit back.</p><p>"Still," Avery interjected "you'd never think that Raoul Lestrange, Quidditch extraordinaire, would be defeated by a roast potato would you?"</p><p>"Do us all a favour and fuck off, Avery." he retorted, but Tom could see the playfulness behind his words, as a small smile had crept its way back onto his rather flushed face.</p><p>Tom had never really given much mind to the boys he had been close enough to to almost consider friends, and it was only as he sat here in the Great Hall, at the beginning of his sixth year, did he ever properly think about what had drawn him to them, besides from their willingness to follow him blindly and ability to keep a secret.</p><p>Raoul Lestrange was a bloody good Quidditch player, and he knew it. He'd bagged the position of Seeker in his second year, and was yet to play a game where he didn't catch the snitch. He was tall and lean, and carried himself with a strong sense of self confidence, only spurred on by the hoards of witches he had falling at his feet. It had always been a joke between the boys that Raoul would probably be able to kill any witch in the castle by simply asking them to fling themselves off the Astronomy tower, given how they had seemingly wrapped themselves around his little finger. Tom liked that about him, how he unashamedly brandishes his talents for everyone to see, and Tom supposed the female attention was a perk too.</p><p>Arche Avery was next, his sandy brown hair falling carelessly into his eyes from where his head had been thrown back in laughter moments ago. Tom could find no word to describe Avery other than asshole. He was the only overtly mean member of Tom's inner circle, unafraid to hex anyone he felt like at any given time, and even more unafraid of the consequences. If it wasn't for Tom's ability to be bale to pick up house points for the most meagre of tasks, he supposed Avery alone would have lost the House Cup for Slytherin for the last 5 years. However, he admired Avery's arsenal of hexes and curses, and even his talent for creating his own spells, thinking he would be of great use to Tom in future endeavours.</p><p>The final member of Tom's circle was Abraxas Malfoy. Tom had never really known what to think of the Malfoy boy until last year when he had proven his worth in the events surrounding the Chamber of Secrets. Abraxas had always been rather quiet, but more than willing to use his incredibly sharp mind to rival even Tom in class marks. Well, Tom and Aurora, but he preferred to keep her from his mind for now. The Malfoy family was currently one of, if not, the most powerful wizarding families in England, and Tom would be damned if he didn't have a direct connection to them.</p><p>Of course, they all saw him as a friend and a leader, not knowing that to Tom they were merely chess pieces in his game.</p><p>*</p><p>By the time dessert had been served, the topic of the boys conversation had turned rather dry, Lestrange moaning about the Falmouth Falcon's last performance against the Holyhead Harpies whilst Malfoy tried to talk Avery out of hexing some random Ravenclaw's hair blue 'for the sake of it'.</p><p>It was as his attention was once again fading that he locked back onto that familiar sneer that sat further up the table, catching her eyes as they almost dared him to try her, so he did.</p><p>Before Tom could even think about digging around her head, he felt her slam up her Occlumency walls, very much locking him out of her head. The victorious smirk that decorated her face told him she knew that she still had him beat, and with that she turned her attention back to Dorea Black.</p><p>Tom knew his Legilimency had improved over the summer, Merlin, he'd been using it all evening on unsuspecting students, and most had barely noticed the intrusion. But Aurora was far too good for him. The first time he'd tried to use Legilimency on her in fourth year resulted in a broken nose and a months worth of detentions. Ever since, it had been almost a game between them, and a game that Tom knew he was presently losing.</p><p>Tom hated losing.</p><p>*</p><p>"First years, this was please!" Tom called out to the group of 11 year olds walking timidly through the dungeons.</p><p>"Now, this is the entrance to the Slytherin common room," he gestured vaguely to the wall behind him "It's protected by a notice-me-not charm, so no other house can find it. The password this week is pudicitiam, and it would do you well to not forget it, I'd rather not have to deal with first years getting locked out the common room this year. The new password will be displayed on the board next to the main fireplace every Monday. Am I quite clear?"</p><p>Tom was answered with the shy nods of the group, and a snort from next to him. Of course Aurora was laughing at him, he expected nothing less from the insolent bitch. All she had done on the way down to the dungeons was make snide comments about his approach to prefect duties, clearly thinking he took them too seriously. He even thought he's heard a remark about 'shining that bloody badge'.</p><p>Ignoring the stupid harpy, Tom faced the wall, saying the password and watching at the stones shifted, forming the archway into the Common Room. It was just as it had been last year, the tall windows allowing a perfect view of the Black Lake. Green velvet couches were smattered around the several fireplaces, and the study tables were already occupied with the last couple of students who hadn't completed any of their summer work yet.</p><p>The Common Room was near enough empty as the first years scrambled in, making their way to their way straight to their dorms, and allowing Tom to return to the furthest set of couches from the doors. He has claimed this spot of the Common Room in his first year, and was more that glad to see no one would have to be hexed out of them this year.</p><p>Avery, Lestrange and Malfoy were already sat there, heads together and muttering lowly.</p><p>"Gentlemen." Tom greeted</p><p>He was met with quiet mutterings of my lord as he sat himself in the armchair next to the couch. Lestrange was the first to speak.</p><p>"My lord, we were just discussing the matter of recruiting more followers this year, is that still a priority?"</p><p>Tom considered this for a moment. He had mentioned in passing at the end of last year he had intended to extend his following from just the three boys sat before him, but he knew the selection process would not be easy to do by himself. As much as Tom hated to admit, he had only of a fraction of the links to Pureblood society as boys like Malfoy did, and they were the best people to advise him as to who would be most useful to add to his ranks.</p><p>"Yes, I suppose so," Tom returned "did you have anyone in mind, Lestrange?"</p><p>Lestrange looked nervously at Malfoy before answering.</p><p>"Well, my lord, we all felt the Aurora Rosier would make most sense to recruit," Tom's shoulders tensed slightly at the thought of trying to tame the aforementioned harpy as Raoul continued "I mean, we all know she's powerful and knows how to assert herself. If not her, the her younger brother Evan was sorted today. He's young, but surely that only means he'll be more malleable? Maybe if she saw him reporting to you, she would follow suit."</p><p>Tom's lip curled up slightly at the thought of using Aurora's family to get to her to finally submit to him as payback for the last five years of insults and trouble she had caused.</p><p>"I like your thinking, Lestrange. I'll trust you to sort out the young Rosier?"</p><p>"Yes, my lord."</p><p>"How about you, Malfoy, anyone in particular you had in mind?"</p><p>Abraxas' gazed moved from the floor he had so intently been examining since Tom had sat down.</p><p>"My cousins, my lord. Cygnus and Orion Black. Fourth and third years respectively. They already have a vendetta against Mudbloods, I doubt they would take much convincing at all." Malfoy's tone was soft yet procedural, as though he had had these lines rehearsed for some time.</p><p>"Very well, I'll leave that to you then."</p><p>"Yes, my lord."</p><p>"Avery, I suppose I should ask for your opinion too?"</p><p>Arche cleared his throat, as a small smile danced on his lips.</p><p>"Actually, my lord, I already have a willing recruit." He said smugly.</p><p>Tom's eyebrows arched at the revelation.</p><p>"And who might that be?"</p><p>"Theodore Nott, he's a seventh year. Heard him complaining about the rabid Mudbloods they were letting into Hogwarts at dinner and asked if he fancied helping to exterminated 'em. Seemed keen enough."</p><p>"Very well," Tom hummed, clearly impressed with the boy's success "tell him to meet us on the seventh floor corridor on Sunday 12th. We can discuss his future role then."</p><p>Avery smiled at his lord's satisfaction with him, casting a sideways glance at Malfoy who had returned to thoroughly inspecting the stone floor of the Common Room and Lestrange who was now sunk back into the sofa staring at the fireplace in front of them.</p><p>"I suppose you ought to all get to bed then, it's almost curfew." Tom stated as he pushed himself out of his armchair.</p><p>"Goodnight, my lord." The boys all chorused in unison as they too stood up to leave, not noticing the girl sat in the shadows.</p><p>It was was only as Tom had brushed down his robes and pivoted to turn in for the night himself when she stepped out of the alcove, that Salazar forsaken smirk gracing her features as she stared Tom down for what felt like the hundredth time that day. He stopped dead in his tracks, unsure of what her reaction would be. The smirk told him she'd heard at least part of the conversation, he was just unsure as to how much.</p><p>The response she did provide however, was far from what he was expecting.</p><p>"My lord?" she snorted, ignoring Tom's glare "yeah, heard that one before."</p><p>She turned and left for her dormitory, platinum blonde hair swaying around her shoulders leaving Tom to analyse her departing words.</p><p>They were cloaked in obscurity. What did she mean she'd heard 'my lord' before? Was she referring to him? Had she overheard one of the boys address him before now?</p><p>Or was she referring to something completely different?</p><p>Despite all of this, Tom's thoughts couldn't help but land on the way 'lord' had rolled off her tongue. It was mocking, yet there had been a trace of sincerity behind it, and he couldn't help but imagine her alluding to him in that same way in the future.</p><p>It was a thought he was certain he could get used to.</p><p>Merlin, this was going to be a long year.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Not Quite A Nightmare</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Aurora was looking down at the events unfolding before her.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She was in a cavernous sitting room in one of the French summer houses her aunt owned. The curtains were drawn but the candlesticks that littered the walls emitted enough light for Aurora to make out the figure of herself, stood facing away from the large oak doors.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The alternate Aurora was wearing a deep emerald coat, her hair secured neatly being her head and wand trained on the woman knelt before her. She was clearly young, but her features were now twisted as she cried whilst writhing with pain, but the Aurora didn't care. Aurora never cared. Her wand never faltered as the woman was hit with her third Cruciatus Curse.</em>
</p><p>Tell me where it is.</p><p>
  <em>The woman made no effort to speak, continuing to scream as her body contorted from pain that wracked her small body. The curse ceased as Aurora bent down, grabbing her by the hair and forcing her to a kneeling position.</em>
</p><p>I could do this all day. I know you know where it is, tell me or I swear to Merlin I will cut your tongue out.</p><p>
  <em>The woman looked up at Aurora through glassy eyes as she heaved, her neck bent back restricting her airflow.</em>
</p><p>N-never.</p><p>
  <em>She let go of the woman's hair slapped her, hard, sending her back to the floor where she clutched pathetically at her cheek.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Aurora's perspective shifted as she was suddenly looking at the woman on the floor, stood next to her alternate self. She could feel the magic crackling around her past self, her normally bright eyes turned dark and deadly. The small triangular pendant that hung around her neck seemed to almost glow with Aurora's magic pulsing through it.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The doors swung open, and neither past nor present Aurora need turn around to know whom the heavy footsteps and steady breathing that approached belonged.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>They stopped just behind her, as a cold and calloused hand reached round Aurora, fingers gently brushing her cheek as she inhaled sharply at the contact. The other settled on her waist and he leant forward, warm breath mingling with the skin near her ear that was beginning to burn. He spoke lowly.</em>
</p><p>You've done so well, Aurora. You're almost there.</p><p>
  <em>She watched her past self relax into his touch, the praise rolling over her like a tidal wave.</em>
</p><p>Anything for you, my lord.</p><p>
  <em>The hand the man had kept on her face travelled down her neck, brushing past her shoulder and making its way down her arm, where it finally came to rest at her wand hand that had slowly dropped. He gripped tightly and drew her wand back up to the woman who had managed to bring herself to her knees. She was begging silently, rocking forward and backwards with her eyes screwed shut.</em>
</p><p>A rather pathetic being, wouldn't you say, my sweet?</p><p>
  <em>Past Aurora smiled cruelly, nodding her head much to the man's delight, signalled by his soft chuckle.</em>
</p><p>I say we dispose of her, my lord, she's proven herself quite useless. I doubt letting her go would do any favours either. The Legilimency and Cruciatus have left her quite mad.</p><p>Is that so?</p><p>
  <em>The woman had broken down into sobs again. Aurora could see herself marvelling at the grovelling figure at her feet, a sense of wicked satisfaction painting her features.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The man behind her tightened his grip on Aurora, pulling her closer to him and whispering her praises.</em>
</p><p>I suppose I should let you do the honours, my sweet?</p><p>
  <em>Past Aurora flicked her wand and the woman was suspended in the air, her bloodcurdling screams filling the room. With a second flick of her wand, razor thin cut appeared across the woman's throat, not deep enough to cause any real damage, but enough to paint the front of the dress with her own deep crimson blood.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Aurora had always liked to play with her food before she ate it.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The man behind her only chuckled again, as he removed his hand from her wand arm, placing it on the other side of her waist. He too was enjoying the sight before him.</em>
</p><p>You should have known better than to try to keep information from me, Miss Potter. Finish her off my sweet.</p><p>
  <em>Past Aurora barely cast a glance back up at the woman who now hung quite limply in the air before her wand slashed yet again and a jet of green light filled the room.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The woman crumpled to the floor.</em>
</p><p>Aurora's eyes opened to the canopy of her four poster bed, shrouded in the heavy green velvet, vaguely aware of the soft light the small window in the dorm was casting over her bed.</p><p>She wouldn't call it a nightmare.</p><p>*</p><p>The first day of lessons in the castle passed far too slowly. The sixth years had only just completed their O.W.Ls in June, meaning the teachers now felt the need to spend every spare moment in classes reminding them of the impending N.E.W.T exams in just under two years.</p><p>Exams and classes had never troubled Aurora, she was quite a natural when it came to magic and took very little effort to best post of her peers. She had come out of her exams with eleven O's, tied with Abraxas Malfoy and beaten only by Tom Riddle, who has scraped twelve.</p><p>Aurora maintained this was not due to his academics out witting her, merely due to her refusal to take Muggle Studies. She had always detested the subject and Dippet's insistence on including it in the school's curriculum. Tom had once told her in fourth year it was a good way to learn from the stupidity of muggles and their mistakes, but Aurora could still think of nothing worse than wasting her energy on a whole subject dedicated to such half wits.</p><p>When Aurora had received her timetable the morning after the feast, she had been delighted to see all her course applications had been accepted, given her exceptional marks from her O.W.Ls and her year could continue as planned. Dorea and Thea had had much the same, only being rejected from Ancient Runes due to their failures to obtain O's. Olive had been rejected from all but the core subjects.</p><p>Aurora couldn't say she was surprised.</p><p>With her schedule now compiled of Astronomy, Potions, Ancient Runes, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration, Charms and Arithmancy, Aurora was dead set on not allowing Riddle to beat her for the sixth year in a row. It was nothing to do with her pride, just a drive to see his face when he realises he's no longer the best. Aurora supposed it was pure spite motivating her this year.</p><p>*</p><p>On Fridays, Aurora had double Ancient Runes with the Ravenclaws first thing.</p><p>The girls had all said their goodbyes at breakfast that morning, heading off to Divination talking excitedly about their introduction to Myomancy. Given the tone of conversation, Aurora guessed they didn't actually know what Myomancy consisted of, but decided to keep quiet knowing it would provide a good laugh for her at lunch.</p><p>Aurora made her way up to the fifth floor, taking a shortcut through one of the tapestries she had found in her second year that cut the travel time by about five minutes. She arrived to the classroom about five minutes early, and was slightly taken aback to see most of the seats already filled with Ravenclaws, the few Slytherins who had been permitted into the class sat at the two tables at the front.</p><p>There were only three currently, with Tom and Abraxas sat next to each other, their textbooks already out as they talked quietly over an essay. The more surprising member of the trio was Lestrange.</p><p>He sat at the table behind the other two, reclined in his chair with his hands behind his head looking rather bored and not a textbook in sight. Aurora had always been civil with the boys save for Tom, but never really taken much mind to them if she was completely honest. Unlike most of the other girls in her year, she had slightly larger issues to deal with than boys.</p><p>Despite this, Aurora found herself making her way over to them, placing her bag next to the seat, the soft thud drawing three pairs of eyes to her as she sat herself next to Lestrange.</p><p>"Well, well, well, if it isn't our very own Princess. Finally get tired of the girls incessant gossiping?"</p><p>"Don't hold your breath, Lestrange, I'm simply avoiding the rather overenthusiastic eagles." Aurora quipped as she motioned towards the Ravenclaws who were practically shaking with excitement at the prospect of advanced Runes, her eyes never leaving Raoul's smug face.</p><p>She heard someone huff, and turned to see Tom's attention had been drawn away from Malfoy and he was now staring down at the essay she had been taking out of her bag. Her eyebrow quirked at him, encouraging him to spit out whatever insult he had on the tip of his tongue.</p><p>"For someone who achieved a near perfect number of O.W.Ls, you'd think you could actually answer the right question." He mused, making sure to emphasise the fact he had topped her results, but that was almost lost on Aurora as she fixed him with a quizzical look after his comment about not answering the right question.</p><p>A triumphant smile flashed across Tom's face and he sat a little straighter in his chair.</p><p>"The essay was about the impact of early research on Anglo-Saxon runes, not the history of the research."</p><p>"Oh."</p><p>Aurora frowned slightly down at the essay, as Tom leered at her. She took out her wand and waved it over the parchment, the words immediately rearranging themselves on the page and forming the essay she should have written.</p><p>When Aurora lifted her head, she was met with the dumbfound looks of Abraxas and Raoul, who were both staring at her in awe. Tom's face reflected that of a spoilt child who had just been told he couldn't have another broomstick, and she revelled in it.</p><p>"I think you'll find that that is cheating, Rosier." He hissed through tight lips, his annoyance evident.</p><p>"Oh I'm not sure it is, Riddle," Aurora smirked back "it was just a simple transcription charm, nothing that I didn't know already would have been conveyed."</p><p>If Tom's annoyance at her for 'cheating' wasn't enough, the prospect of her being able to wordlessly cast a charm he didn't even know of clearly sent him over the top. Without another word, he turned back to the front of the classroom, ignoring Abraxas' efforts to engage him in conversation again. This earned the blond a sorry glance from Aurora as it seemed she had cost him his previously willing partner for the lesson.</p><p>Aurora's focus was drawn back to the boy sat next to him. The mess of dark curls he sported had fallen onto his forehead, and his white oxford shirt was pulled taut against his chest as he continued to lean back onto his arms. He was still smiling down at her.</p><p>One side of Aurora's mouth quipped, returning him a half smile before looking back down to continue retrieving her supplies from her bag now the chances of being interrupted by Tom had been mitigated.</p><p>When she was set up, she looked back to her partner to now find him leant on his hands with the elbows resting on the table, still smiling curiously at her.</p><p>"Looks like you've pissed Tom off." He remarked quietly, obviously trying to avoid the boy in question from hearing him.</p><p>"Yes, it would appear I have. I suppose it's quite fortunate he's so easy to rile up, always gives off such a good show." Aurora replied, her eyes trailing off to the back of Tom's head as he was furiously adding to the end of his essay.</p><p>She heard Lestrange chuckle from beside her, and shot him a questioning look similar to the one Tom had received when he criticised her writing.</p><p>"I would described Riddle in many ways, but 'easy to rile up' sure as hell is not one." Lestrange answered.</p><p>Aurora's confusion must have been evident on her face, as Raoul began to lean forward slightly hie eyes how only a couple of inches away from hers. From this position, she could see why so many of the girls at Hogwarts were so mad for him. His bright green eyes sparkled in the early morning light, and the freckles that dusted his nose stood out quite against his pale skin.</p><p>"If anything," he murmured "I'd almost be inclined to say that it's just the effect you have on him."</p><p>Her eyes narrowed at Lestrange, as he returned to his original position of reclining in his chair with his hands behind his head, the same smug smile he tended to wear unwavering.</p><p>It was then that Professor Barrows swooped in, drawing all attention to the front of the room as he promptly began the lesson.</p><p>After the essays had been collected, he had much to Aurora's delight and Tom's disgust commended her for her work as he skim read each piece from his desk whilst the students copied their notes from the board. She had a withering stare directed at her from Riddle, which she took in her stride, smiling sweetly at him once again, before returning her attention to her notes, seeing Lestrange laughing quietly to himself in her peripheral.</p><p>BY the time the lesson was over, Tom all but charged out the classroom before anyone could say anything to him. Abraxas looked only somewhat put out at his partner's foul mood as he collected up his belongings, whilst Raoul was evidently very much enjoying the results of Aurora's stunt, if the smile that had not left his face for the whole lesson was anything to go by.</p><p>The three made their way dow towards the Great Hall together, talking politely about nothing in particular. Aurora asked after Abraxas's betrothal, which he quickly brushed off, after saying everything was fine and he was looking forward to it, although the somewhat downcast expression he wore suggested otherwise. Raoul asked after Aurora's summer, and she gave her normal response, telling him about the pleasant time spent with her aunt abroad, and apologising to Abraxas for once again missing the Malfoy Summer Ball again.</p><p>Before long, they were reaching the doors of the Great Hall only to be greeted by the familiar screeching of one Olive Hornby.</p><p>*</p><p>"RATS? MYOMANCY IS THE STUDY OF RATS? AND YOU KNEW THIS?" Olive practically screeched for what must have been the sixth time.</p><p>It took all the self control Aurora had to not laugh at the girl, who was less than thrilled to have spent the last two hours in the presence of a several rats.</p><p>"I thought it would be obvious, given the Latin translation of the word." Aurora responded calmly, looking down at her plate worried that one look at the undoubtably bright red face of Olive would break her.</p><p>"I suppose it wasn't the most exciting lesson," Dorea chimed in "all we were told to do was take note of their 'vocalisations' to try and take a reading from next lesson." She frowned.</p><p>"I didn't think it was too bad." Thea said boldly from beside Aurora, much to the shock of Olive.</p><p>"Bu-But they were just climbing all over people and they stunk, how can that not be to bad?!" She asked incredulously.</p><p>Theo didn't respond, just shrugging her shoulders as she continued to push her food around.</p><p>The girls finished their lunch without much else to say. It was only as they had made a move to get up that Aurora spotted Tom walking into the hall, his usual saunter reinstated instead of the angry march he had adopted after his little hissy fit earlier.</p><p>He faltered when he saw her, but quickly recovered as he realised she was walking towards him, clearly intending to interact. He raised his chin slightly, as if trying to get her to take note of the height advantage he had on her as if it was a matter of status.</p><p>"Riddle."</p><p>"Rosier."</p><p>"Back to your normal self, I see."</p><p>"I'm afraid I'm not quite sure what you mean, darling."</p><p>"Well, you're no longer acting like a petulant child, so I only assumed you had decided to compose yourself?"</p><p>Tom bit the inside of his cheek, taking note of the girls that had caught up and now flanked Aurora, deciding that an argument was not the best use of his time. Instead, he drew himself further up, joining his hands beside his back as he sneered down at her.</p><p>"I hardly think that you're one to talk about being petulant when you have crafted your whole personality around being a peevish little Harpy."</p><p>Aurora grinned back up at him, knowing she had gotten the rise out of him that she wanted.</p><p>"I'll see you on prefect rounds tonight, Riddle."</p><p>And with that, Aurora stalked out of the hall, the girls hot on her tail.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Prefect Rounds</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tom could not understand Aurora Rosier.</p><p>Her ability to crawl under his skin and allow her actions to fester into madness was unmatched.</p><p>Ancient Runes that morning had been a disaster. After being made a fool of by the insolent brat, he was left with a deep urge to curse any student that dared to breathe too loudly in the corridor.</p><p>Not to mention Raoul Lestrange actively encouraging her. The idiot must have realised by now that nothing escaped Tom. He had not missed Lestrange's laughter at his expense, something he would address at their first meeting of the year.</p><p>Tom was vain, he took pride in his abilities and status that came with them. To have her insult his intelligence in front of his peers with that fucking transcribing spell had left him feeling incredibly sour for the following two hours. It had taken him almost half an hour to fully return his usual calm demeanour, something he could normally snap back on in a second.</p><p>Yet something about her prevented him from doing so. It was incredibly unsettling.</p><p>Then there was lunch, when she purposefully confronted him, surrounded by her little posse, knowing full well she had the upper hand as he would never allow himself to break with a crowd. Ancient Runes had been a very large mistake on his part, and it was one he was keen to not have a repeat performance of. Instead, he had allowed her to throw her petty little insults, merely matching her energy with his responses.</p><p>If she wanted a competition of wit, then she sure as hell would get one.</p><p>Upon her exit, Aurora had reminded him of their impending prefect rounds that evening, something he had already been less than excited for. After the little harridan's performance in their earlier lesson, she had set the tone for Tom's attitude towards her for the remainder of the year. Though he was once willing to be civil, he was now no longer opposed to reminding her of her place below him.</p><p>She may have been powerful, but he was her superior, and Tom would be damned if he let her ignore this for another year. If anything, his desire to see her join his followers had increased tenfold.</p><p>Oh, to be the one to finally tame Aurora Rosier. Tom knew that if anyone could do it, it would be him.</p><p>So, as he stood outside the Slytherin Common Room at 8:58 pm waiting for her to begin rounds, Tom could not help but allow his mind to trail back to their encounter the first night of term, thinking yet again of the way she said 'my lord',and his desire for her to call him such remained unwavering.</p><p>His attention was captured by the sound of heels clicking down the hallway towards him as the blonde witch traipsed along. Her normally straight hair was softly curled, and her lips had been painted blood red.</p><p>Tom acknowledged her with a curt nod before turning and going on his way, fully intending to ignore her for the next hour and a half.</p><p>He was successful only for the first thirty minutes. They walked silently through the dark corridors of Hogwarts, only stopping to break up and deduct points from a couple of Hufflepuffs that Tom had found locked in a rather compromising embrace by an alcove.</p><p>The moon was barely casting any light through the high windows of the first floor, blanketing the two teenagers in semidarkness. Tom had considered casting a lumos charm, but quickly realised that if he tuned out the sound of her footfalls, it felt as if he was almost alone.</p><p>Almost.</p><p>Of course the little chit would have to pipe up at some point. Tom knew she couldn't stand to not be the centre of attention for longer than 30 minutes.</p><p>"Are you really going to ignore me the whole time, Riddle?" she asked expectantly.</p><p>Tom exhaled heavily, and provided her with no answer, continuing to walk with his head dead set forward.</p><p>"Most consider it rude to not answer a witch when she asks a question, you know, Thomas."</p><p>He could hear the acid hissing at him behind her somewhat flirtatious tone, and his shoulders tensed slightly at the use of his given name. Still, Tom knew that politeness was no way to handle Aurora Rosier, as she seemed to understand spite and insults far better.</p><p>"Yes, but most witches aren't vindictive, spoiled little harpies who spend their whole lives demanding attention from anyone they can get their talons on. Are they, Aurora, my darling?" Tom replied, his tone matching hers in veiled acidity.</p><p>Aurora seemed to allow his words to wash over her, her stride never faltering at his harsh words but not satisfying him with a response.</p><p>He needed to do better.</p><p>Aurora had a reputation at Hogwarts. Aside from being feared amongst the younger students, she was notorious for her willingness to engage the older males in many whims. He'd spent enough time in his dorm listening to Arche and Raoul discussing her rumoured escapades to have a vivid idea of her activities. Tom had not yet established if these rumours were a weak spot for her, but supposed now would be as good a time as any to find out.</p><p>As they rounded the corner and began to ascend one of the many staircases in the south wing of the castle, Tom began his prying.</p><p>"You know, I've always wondered how the Hogwarts prefect selection process worked," he began, feigning his wistful wonderings, "You would think they pay more attention to the standards each individual held themselves to before making a choice, wouldn't you?"</p><p>Aurora laughed lightly.</p><p>"If you're referring to the whispers of me hexing the odd mudblood every now and then Riddle, I can assure you that nothing of the sorts has ever reached the teachers. I know how to cover my tracks well enough."</p><p>Oh, this was all too good. She was oblivious to what was coming.</p><p>"No, Rosier, that isn't what I was referring to."</p><p>Aurora's eyes had now narrowed, only widening Tom’s smile as he inhaled and continued.</p><p>"Well, if I were Headmaster Dippet, I suppose I would prefer to promote a lady who was less willing as a role model." The acid was no longer hiding in Tom's voice. It was practically dripping as he smiled down at the girl next to him, who had stopped in her tracks.</p><p>It was clear that Aurora had finally caught onto his insinuation given his emphasis on his words, as her fists balled at her side and all traces of her normal composure vanished. Her signature smirk now replaced with a dangerous sneer that most crumbled under. Tom, however, revelled in it.</p><p>Checkmate.</p><p>"Most consider it rude to not answer a wizard when he asks a question, you know, Aurora."</p><p>Merlin, you could almost see the anger radiating off of her small body.</p><p>Tom suddenly understood why she spent her time trying to get a similar reaction from him. This was a full-fledged show.</p><p>Both teenagers were now standing still, facing each other in the dark corridor.</p><p>"What do you want me to say, Riddle?" Aurora whispered through gritted teeth.</p><p>Tom took a couple of steps forward, closing the space between them as he bowed his head.</p><p>"Nothing, Rosier. I want you to say nothing. As far as I'm aware, you say far too much as it is."</p><p>Tom was now only a foot or so away from Aurora, and her not drawing her wand the second he had stepped into her space gave him a surge of confidence. He continued, in the same venomous tone,</p><p>"A pretty little girl like you ought to have learnt her place by now. You'd think being tossed around by every boy over the age of sixteen in this school would have humbled you slightly."</p><p>Tom and Aurora had never got on, so to speak. From their very first conversation in first year, Tom had disliked her arrogance and desire to argue with anything that moved. They had spent the next five years firing shallow insults at each other, but never intending much damage. Tom knew what he was saying now was crossing that line, but he didn't care. Anything to see Aurora crumble.</p><p>"Is that what you think, Riddle? That because I'm no prude I should be inclined to accept a place lower on the pecking order?" Aurora seemed to remember herself as she hissed at him.</p><p>"Well yes, that is what I think. You may be a Pureblood, but Salazar knows who or what you've let taint you." Tom scoffed.</p><p>Aurora drew herself up to her full height. She had nothing on Tom, but still held her chin high in the air as she prepared her retort.</p><p>"I can assure you, no mudblood or blood traitor has ever been allowed within a foot of me. I know my worth far better than to let that happen." She smirked at the latter part of her response.</p><p>Tom knew she was getting too cocky again and he needed to bring her back down.</p><p>"Well, that does come as a shock. As far as I was aware, a woman with self-worth would never allow herself to become the focal point of every conversation in the boys’ dormitories at school."</p><p>This was true, of course. The countless nights he lay in his four poster bed, listening to the boys discussing the newest reports of Aurora's activities and their desires to experience it for themselves were fresh in his mind. He would be lying if he said he's never entertained the thought himself, but he had never verbalised this.</p><p>"I can think of worse things to be known for. And I suppose your equally infamous trysts are of no consequence? I could argue that your reputation may also be a cause for concern." Aurora bit back.</p><p>Ah, of course she would bring that up. Tom knew he also had a reputation at Hogwarts, due to the Ravenclaws’ inability to keep their mouths shut. But he was a man, and there was hardly any shame in his stress relief techniques. Well, not all of them.</p><p>"You know full well that it is completely different for me, Rosier. Besides, my trysts, as you put it, are purely speculation. Nothing has ever been confirmed." Tom kept his smile as he began turning away from Aurora, his gaze returning to the night sky. Of course he would never confirm them either, the mystery surrounding him was far too important to maintain.</p><p>"I suppose not, no. But that isn't the only thing that would bring your suitability as a role model into question, is it?" She questioned mischievously.</p><p>This drew back Tom's attention. The smirk she adorned seemed to no longer be hiding her anger, instead showcased a pure hatred he had never seen before.</p><p>"Oh?" Tom inquired, tilting his head slightly.</p><p>Aurora's smirk spread wider, and she ran her tongue across her teeth, as though preparing to physically bite Tom.</p><p>"Oh indeed. Tell me, how do you think Myrtle Warren died last year."</p><p>And bite she sure did. Something in Tom snapped. He marched forward, shoving Aurora roughly against the wall behind her, his hands slamming down next to each side of her head. He knew as soon as he did it that it was a mistake. She had gotten the rise out of him. He knew he would have to charm himself out of this one, but his abilities to charm Aurora were currently very much in question.</p><p>"I'm afraid I'm not quite sure what you mean, Rosier." He leant down to whisper against her ear.</p><p>Aurora didn't move, only her eyes shifting to the side to meet Tom's.</p><p>"I'm afraid you do, Riddle. Something has changed in you, I can feel it. Something is missing that was very much there last year." Her voice was low, matching his volume.</p><p>If anyone were to walk down the corridor right now, they were sure to be met with the strangest of sights. Whilst most would see two students locked in a somewhat intimate display, the scene was defaced by the weight of magic burning the air around them.</p><p>"Whatever you think you know, darling, or whatever you think is missing, I can promise is a figment of your silly little imagination." Tom assured her condescendingly, almost as if Aurora would just accept that her theory was quite mad and apologise.</p><p>Unfortunately, Tom knew her far better than that.</p><p>"Is that so?" That false sweetness had returned, as Aurora raised her hand to Tom's jaw, her soft touch coaxing his face into position directly in front of hers, allowing their breath to mingle in the centimetres between them. She looked directly into his eyes, and Tom felt the hairs on the back of his head stand up as dazzling blue met deep brown.</p><p>"Of course, and it would do you some good to remember as such, you chit." Tom spat out the insult, his head jolting forward slightly, as their noses brushed slightly, sending sparks across Tom's face. What was she doing to him? He had locked up his Occlumency walls the best he could, and dared not try hers in this position, but had a feeling this was something completely different.</p><p>"Have you ever heard the phrase 'eyes are the window to the soul', Riddle?" She breathed.</p><p>Tom scoffed at the insinuation that he didn't know basic Shakespeare. Did she really believe him to be that stupid?</p><p>"Of course, I'm more shocked that you're quoting a muggle than anything." He snapped back sharply.</p><p>Aurora laughed lightly, tilting her head back into the wall, but never breaking their eye contact.</p><p>"Oh, my sweet Tom, Shakespeare was a wizard."</p><p>Tom barely registered the suggestion that he had been wrong about the supposedly muggle playwright before Aurora resumed talking.</p><p>"But that isn't important. What's important is that I can see the change from last year. Your eyes are different. They seem fractured. Your soul is broken. You've killed someone, and my bets are on poor little Myrtle." She finished with a knowing smile.</p><p>Tom was incredibly taken aback. How could she know? The only people who knew about the Chamber of Secrets and his relation to Slytherin were the three boys, all of whom had taken an unbreakable vow of secrecy and all of whom were still very much alive.</p><p>But no, she hadn't been told about anything, she had worked it out for herself. Tom felt the heat rise up his neck as he learnt closer still, his lips ghosting over hers as he hissed out his threat, his dangerous venom from earlier returning.</p><p>"Stop talking right now, or I swear to fucking Circe I will break you."</p><p>Instead of her eyes widening in fear as he would have liked, they narrowed once again, gleaming with a cruelty he had only ever seen when he looked in the mirror. The magic that surrounded them seemed to increase dramatically, as if one wrong move from either would bring the whole corridor down. Instead, they remained very much still until Aurora clicked her tongue.</p><p>"You wouldn't be the first person to try... and you wouldn't be the first person to fail."</p><p>Her response hit him like a tsunami, drenching him in the possible implications of her words. It was also in this moment that he registered her hands splayed across his chest, pushing him away from her, hard, as she slipped out from under his arms.</p><p>Straightening out her robes, which had become slightly off kilter from his outburst, Aurora looked at him before huffing.</p><p>"Now, if you excuse me, I think my job here is quite done. I'm sure you're more than capable of walking around the castle by yourself until ten thirty." Aurora’s eyebrow raised slightly as though daring him to press her any further that evening.</p><p>When she received no answer, she turned and walked off down the corridor back to the dungeons.</p><p>Tom let out a breath he wasn't aware he was holding, and the volatile magic around him seemed to dissipate.</p><p>She had managed to twist the argument back on him again, and he'd not been able to stop her. Tom knew he had to shut her down sooner next time.</p><p>Still, he felt most unnerved by her boldness when she asked if he had killed someone. Mainly due to the fact she was right.</p><p>Surely she couldn't be right about his crimes being visible in his eyes? That was too obvious. If it was that simple then half the cells in Azkaban wouldn't currently be filled those still awaiting trial for murder. What's more, he technically hadn't killed Myrtle himself, only commanded the Basilisk to do so. Had she been bluffing, and had he provided her with enough evidence to confirm her suspicions when he snapped?</p><p>Furthermore, what had she meant when saying that others had tried and failed to break her before? Just like in the Common Room, her words were shrouded in mystery, and that left Tom almost more unsatisfied than he had been before.</p><p>However, his desire to see her submission had not faltered, and he was now prepared to do almost anything to get her under his control. She was hiding something, and her teasing was not acceptable.</p><p>Tom spent the remainder of his rounds imagining all the ways he would torture the girl once she was finally in his grip, imagining how it would feel when he finally managed to break into her mind and claim free-reign over her thoughts and memories. He promised himself he would achieve this before the end of the year, knowing full well she would play a vital role in his summer plans.</p><p>When 10:30pm eventually rolled around, Tom returned to the dungeons having only caught one more student out of bed, sending them scuttling back off to their dorm after deducting house points and issuing detentions. He felt more confident than ever for the year ahead, and as he climbed into bed that night, slept soundly knowing his game was all falling into place in front of him.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>A big thank you to jules_onthemoon for help with editing this chapter!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Obliviate</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The nerve of Tom Riddle. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He openly called Aurora a whore, yet he still had the audacity to suggest he held the moral high ground despite being Hogwarts' resident playboy and, arguably, more importantly, a killer. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The only good thing that had come from Tom and Aurora's first rounds of the year was the resolute confirmation that Tom had in fact been behind Myrtle's death, and Aurora wanted nothing more than to find out how he did it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Not out of care for the little mudblood, purely out of interest for how he had gotten away with it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After years of terrorising students herself, Aurora had become rather talented when it came to silencing those she needed to be silenced, but covering up curses and hexes was one thing. Covering up a murder was something else completely. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>*</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The first weekend back at the castle was delightfully uneventful. Aurora had not seen Tom since she had left him in the corridor, but she could hardly say she minded. As far as Aurora was concerned, the longer she could go without interacting with Tom Riddle, the better. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He hadn't been present at any meals, and neither had his little band of friends. Instead, Aurora sporadically spotted them around the castle, but never together, always engaged in quiet conversation with other students.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She had even seen Lestrange with her brother Evan, who seemed to be hanging onto every word the older boy was saying like he was preaching some sort of gospel. This behaviour from him was undeniably strange, but Aurora thought nothing else of it. Raoul was hardly the worst person in the school for Evan to be interacting with. If anything, it was good he was already making connections with the older students. Not even Aurora had begun her networking at such an early stage in her education. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Instead of worrying herself over such petty matters, Aurora's time was instead filled with relaxing on the grounds with her friends. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The sun still hung high in the sky, the last traces of summer still lingering in the warm September air. The end of O.W.Ls saw a dramatic decline in the volume of homework that the sixth years now had, allowing Aurora to enjoy a full, uninterrupted weekend at the castle for the first time in almost a year.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As much as she hated to admit it, she had missed Hogwarts over the Summer. France wasn't too bad but had come to feel more like a work trip than anything else. She would hardly have called it a relaxing getaway. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was a Sunday afternoon, and the four girls were sprawled across a couple of blankets on the bank of the Black Lake. As she sat in the shade of one of the many oak trees that littered the waterfront, watching Thea and Olive chatting happily about Merlin-knows-what, and Dorea slowly turning the pages of the textbook she was engrossed in, Aurora felt a concentrated warming against her chest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Using her pinky finger to hook the chain out from beneath her shirt, Aurora took the necklace between her fingers, turning it over in her hand as it glowed faintly. The black beads were now shining bright green as the triangular charm pulsed with magic. Aurora felt a pang of disappointment knowing she wouldn't be able to respond to the call for the next few months. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What's that, Aurora?" Olive's question pulled Aurora out of her thoughts as she dropped the necklace, leaving it to hang over her tie.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's a necklace, Olive, I would have thought that was obvious." She snapped, slightly harsher than she had intended. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Olive's smile dropped, and Thea lightly placed her hand on the girl's shoulder, a somewhat sympathetic look painting her face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I think what Olive meant," Thea smiled up at her from next to Olive, who looked almost on the verge of tears. "Was that it's quite lovely, Aurora."  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora looked down, the side of her mouth quirking up as the compliment. She felt almost cruel accepting, knowing full well that if any of the girls really knew what it was for, what it meant, and what it had caused, the very last thing they would call it was 'lovely'. Still, Aurora averted her gaze, peering over Thea's shoulder as she spoke. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Thank you, it was a gift from my aunt this summer." It wasn't a complete lie.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The conversation seemed to end there. Thea and Olive had picked up their previous discussion where they had left it, Olive's eyes still slightly glassy. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora's hand returned the chain, picking it back up again so she would continue her examination of the small silver triangle. Even though it was a fairly obscure mark, Aurora still liked to keep the necklace hidden from sight. She knew it was very unlikely anyone would take any mind to the charm, but the idea of having something of her own, a piece of her that was only for her eyes and no one else's was strangely comforting to Aurora. She had given so much of herself to so many people willingly, that keeping her necklace for herself kept her feeling safe, despite everything it stood for. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The whole group's attention was then caught by the sound of shouting approaching the alcove of trees they had been sat in. A group of Gryffindor seventh year boys appeared out of the tree-line, hollering and pushing each other clumsily. At the front of the group was their obvious leader, a lanky boy with a mess of dark hair that stuck out at every angle, and eyes so blue they were almost comparable to Aurora's. There was no mistaking which family that particular wizard came from. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When they realised they were not alone, the shouting and shoving stopped, and the boy fixed the girls with a lopsided grin. She opened her mouth to greet him, but was beaten by Dorea. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hey, Charlus." The dark-haired witch had looked up from her book for the first time since she had opened it a few hours ago, and was grinning back up at the Potter boy. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Y'aright, Black?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora looked between the two, who were just smiling at each other. What in Salazar's name was happening? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora cleared her throat politely, interrupting the weird exchange between them. Charlus shook his head slightly as he looked back at Aurora, who was waiting for him to proceed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, sorry, Rosier, didn't realise you lot were here, we'll just find somewhere-" Potter's voice trailed off as his gaze shifted down slightly to Aurora's chest. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Normally, she would smirk and make a flirtatious remark at behaviour like this, but Potter's sudden lack of words had nothing to do with the female anatomy. Instead, he was staring at the necklace that was glinting in the afternoon light. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Aurora Rosier, you are a complete fucking idiot.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Charlus returned his eyes to Aurora's, his eyes narrowing slightly, only enough for her to notice. Despite the sudden spike of panic that had arisen in her stomach, Aurora's face remained expressionless. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"-uh yeah we'll find somewhere else, c'mon lads. See ya, Black." Potter nodded in Dorea's direction, hardly acknowledging the three other girls she was sat with as he clapped a hand on the arm of one of his friends, leading them back up towards the castle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As the other's gazes lingered on the boys' backs, Aurora swiftly dropped the pendant back down her shirt, hoping no one else had seen what caused such a reaction. Luckily, it appeared that cause had been overlooked, though his sudden change in demeanour had not gone unnoticed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What the bloody hell was wrong with him?" Olive finally piped up after the Gryffindors were out of earshot. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>For once, Aurora made no attempt to bite her head off, and just let the others deal with it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's weird, we've been back four days now and he hasn't tried to prank the entire school once yet. Seems rather out of character for that lot, don't you think?" The rather abrasive sandy blonde witch continued. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dorea sniffed slightly, and all three sets of eyes landed on her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well, his sister went missing in the summer, I suppose that probably put a damper on his mood. She still hasn't been found, has she? If any of my brothers or sister went missing, I doubt I'd be in the mood to prank anyone." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora knew Dorea didn't mean that. She hated her siblings. Cassiopeia hadn't spoken to Dorea since she had moved to France after graduating Hogwarts three years prior, Pollux had provided her with her rather detestable niece, Walburga, and Marius had been disowned when he was eleven for being a Squib. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Was she standing up for Potter? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Suddenly, however, something seemed to click in Aurora's head. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>His sister went missing this summer.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hey, Dorea,"</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>You should have known better than to try keeping information from me, Miss Potter.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>"What happened with his sister? You said she still hadn't been found?"</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>The way Charlus had stopped when he saw the pendant. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Dorea looked at Aurora inquisitively, as though trying to read her expression. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, of course, you were in France, you wouldn't have seen. It was all over the Daily Prophet for weeks. Cedrella Potter just disappeared one night. Went out with her friend's the night before in Godric's Hollow and never turned up to work the next day. Aurors found her flat completely ruined and no sign left of where she went. Her wand was found in her kitchen, so they couldn't track her. They assumed she'd been taken abroad, but the family sent out search parties for about a month after it was first reported. It's a shame, I've met her a few times at family functions, and she was always pretty nice. She was seven years older than us."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Before Aurora could formulate a response, Thea spoke up. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I thought the Potters were blood traitors, Dor, what were they doing at a Black function."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dorea laughed awkwardly. </span>
  <em>
    <span>What</span>
  </em>
  <span> was wrong with her? She never acted like this.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"They're still rich purebloods, Olive. Even my family can overlook a couple of comments about muggles not being utter scum in favour of that." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>No one quite seemed to know what to say. Thea just nodded understandingly, Dorea returned to her book, and Olive had become distracted by Giant Squid, who was basking in the shallows, splashing a group of third years with a long tentacle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But Aurora's mind was whirring at the speed of light. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The girl from the summer was Charlus Potter's sister. She had to be. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Of course, Aurora had known the name. She knew a couple of Potters from school, and they were another one of the prominent Pureblood families, but she never thought that that </span>
  <em>
    <span>girl</span>
  </em>
  <span> would have been a connection between her two worlds. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The bright late summer's day seemed to fade into a dreary nothingness as Aurora's mind was flooded with the sound of the screams. Of the way the blood trickled down from the cut in her neck. And of the sound the body made when it finally dropped to the floor, cold and lifeless. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And Charlus </span>
  <em>
    <span>knew</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He had seen the pendant, and he had connected the dots. He would know exactly what the symbol meant because it would have been found in his sister's flat if Aurora wasn't mistaken, and he had just seen Aurora wear it proudly around her neck. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>How in the hell was she supposed to cover this one up? Aurora had been back at Hogwarts for less than a week, and something of this magnitude could destroy her if anyone else found out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Would Charlus tell anyone what he saw? It was something Aurora knew she couldn't risk. It was quite literally life or death for her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm going to head back up the castle, I need to get a book from the library before Defence Against the Dark Arts tomorrow," Aurora lied, standing up swiftly from the blanket she had been lounging on. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh ok, did you want us to come with you, 'Rora?" Thea asked kindly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's quite alright, I'll see you all at dinner in a bit." And with that, Aurora turned on her heel and made haste towards the courtyard. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>*</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora did end up going to the library, just not to pick up a book. She needed to find Potter. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She stalked through the corridors, looking in all the most obvious places. Gryffindor Tower, the library, and most of the west wing of the castle. Eventually, she found the seventh years out by the Greenhouses, smoke and a strong smell of tobacco emitting from the circle they were standing in. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora knew she needed to get Charlus alone, so tucked herself into the space between two suits of armour and waited for the group to disperse. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It took fifteen minutes for the first couple of boys to announce their departure, both heading off to the Great Hall, and Aurora cast a disillusionment charm on herself for extra measure when they passed a little too close to her hiding place. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>From that moment, more and more of the group filtered past Aurora, luckily Charlus being the last to do so. He was tucking a small tin back into the pocket of his robes, not paying much attention, when he walked past the suits of armour, Aurora's hand wrapping his arm as she pulled him into the small space. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Wha-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>Silencio.</span>
  </em>
  <span>"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Charlus's eyes widened as the noise abruptly ceased to come from his mouth, and Aurora quickly dropped the disillusionment on herself, after checking the corridor was empty.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Listen here, Potter, I want to make one thing quite clear. Whatever you think you saw, you were mistaken," Aurora hissed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Charlus had turned bright red, struggling against Aurora's firm grip on him and mouth moving in a way that told Aurora if she were to drop the silencing charm he would be near screaming.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He definitely knew. Aurora could hear her blood screaming in her ears as she fully came to realise the consequences of letting him go with the knowledge he had. She exhaled heavily, not taking too long to consider if her next move was going to be a good decision or not. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Placing her wand tip next to Charlus's temple, Aurora focused intently on the moment he had seen the pendant, and whispered, </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>Obliviate.</span>
  </em>
  <span>"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The struggle stopped immediately, as Aurora pulled the blue memory strand away from his forehead, waving her wand outwards as the memory dissipated into thin air.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Charlus blinked a few times, before looking down at Aurora, his face a portrait of confusion. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Rosier? What are you doing here?" he asked, eyeing the minimal space between them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sorry, Potter, thought you were someone else, a silly mistake of mine. I'll be along now," Aurora smiled as she slipped out of the gap, flicking her hair over her shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Right, okay, see you around I guess?" Charlus continued to blink rapidly as he frowned, obviously intensely bewildered, as he too stepped out of the space before heading off towards the hall. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora exhaled, satisfied with her success. He hadn't freaked out on seeing her, so that suggested the memory extraction had worked. Extracting singular memories had always been harder than wiping someone's mind completely, and Aurora couldn't help but feel rather smug at her accomplishment. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Much like the seventh years had, Aurora decided to head to the Great Hall. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Taking a final look around her, and happy that no one had seen her encounter with Potter, Aurora began her walk to the Entrance Hall to meet the girls. Unfortunately for Aurora, she had overlooked the dark-haired boy who then emerged from the Greenhouse, having witnessed the entire debacle from the slightly ajar door. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you to Poppyflwrs on Wattpad for helping to edit this chapter! I have a couple more written and wil upload those soon :) Thank you so much for reading!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. The Knights of Walpurgis</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Aurora had never seemed particularly special to Tom. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They had known each other for over five years now, and yet Tom was unable to pinpoint a time he ever considered her to be anything other than a completely normal pureblood witch. She had always been rather smart, he supposed, enough that he had to consciously try to make sure he was always beating her results in class, and her habit for cursing people was never more than that–a habit that caused the whispers in the corridors creating the fear of her amongst the younger students. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But she was never special. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>From the first feast Tom had shared with her in first year, she had been stuck up and arrogant, her sense of self-importance at eleven rivalling that of Tom's at sixteen. She had never been afraid to pepper him with empty insults, always trying to assert her dominance as the princess of the purebloods, but Tom always saw past her jibes, knowing full well she never truly meant ill will with them. He was hardly innocent of the same crime, always allowing himself to rise up and meet her, trading slights with her like they were the football cards that the muggles at the orphanage owned. It had always been harmless. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Until this year. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>More specifically, since Myrtle had died. That stupid little Mudblood has caused something to change within Tom, and he knew it. The last couple of days before the term had ended, after he had killed her, Tom had spent sleeping, unable to bring himself to even open his eyes. His whole body had felt heavy and cold, as though every internal organ had turned to lead and his blood had frozen in his veins. It was a miracle he made it to Hogsmede station on June 30th, in all honesty. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The summer had barely been any better, the heaviness lingering in his joints when he woke up every morning and even the hottest days barely touching his chill. The fact he was surrounded by muggles hardly helped either, just intensifying his want to return to the castle tenfold. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom knew he couldn't feel love. He could barely feel anything positive, quite honestly. All his emotions tended to blend into one, a blur of mild satisfaction mixed with an innate need to smile or laugh, but never explicitly 'happiness' or 'excitement', like so many of the other people he knew. Instead, with was a grey area he had no interest in exploring. However, negative emotions seemed to come to Tom in abundance. After so many years, the simmering anger he felt at all times had become comfortable, and his steely exterior became his constant costume, one that had always been unbreakable, the one that had secured him so much of his current status. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But from the moment he had entered Aurora's compartment on September 1st, something had shifted deep in him. The simmering anger quickly came to a boiling point, refusing to settle down for anything. His armour had been chipped, and the cracks that formed continued to split deeper and deeper with every moment Tom spent in her vicinity. Every word she uttered towards him seemed to push him closer and closer to the edge, and every time she mercilessly pushed him straight over, shattering the armour and leaving him to pick the pieces back up after. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The most unnerving part was the constant pull Tom felt towards her since the train journey. Where there was once heaviness in his movements, there was now a light force that tried its best to take him to her. The cold was replaced with searing heat when she spoke or looked at him. The second she looked away or left, the feelings would return. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora clearly knew more than she was letting on, and for the first time, Tom had begun to feel fear creeping in the back of his mind. Her jibes and insults now held weight and spite they never had before, and her eyes seemed to bore straight into him in a way Tom had never experienced before this year. She had known his soul had fractured, but quite how she had been able to know what that looked like remained a mystery to Tom.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He felt as though his secrets were unravelling before her yet hers remained perfectly coiled. Merlin-forbid she ever to find out about his true heritage, or where lived when not at the castle. She could quite literally destroy him. Secrets were dangerous in the wrong hands. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom assumed she must know this, given that she clearly has a plethora of her own. Eavesdropping had never been Tom's style, but how could he resist when he had seen her tucking herself in between the statues that Sunday afternoon as he had been collecting a new batch of asphodel for Slughorn.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom hadn't been avoiding her, so to speak, but had definitely been consciously avoiding places he was certain to see her. It was partially why he had been in the greenhouses at the time, pandering to Slughorn's idea that he was a star pupil by helping with meaningless tasks to fill his time until he had heard the scuffle of footsteps outside and his familiar anger start to bubble deep in his chest again. He nearly resisted his curiosity, but when she pulled that Gryffindor seventh year into her, he couldn't help but listen in. Most of their exchange had been muffled, but when Tom heard her cast an </span>
  <em>
    <span>Oblivate</span>
  </em>
  <span> before parting ways with the messy-haired student, he couldn't help but wonder what was going on with the witch this year.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was something going on with her, and something, somewhere in his head told Tom he was going to find out soon. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>*</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The first full week of lessons passed like any other for Tom.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The praise he was so used to receiving from all his teachers was unfaltering. Slughorn seemed especially fond after Tom's help with collecting additional ingredients for him, earning Slytherin a hearty lead in house points so early in the year. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Although Aurora was present in most of his lessons, Tom kept his distance. His temper was still very volatile indeed, but he has become used to the bubbling he felt when she was near and was able to control it enough to continue to appear unfazed by her general existence. She had made no attempt to talk to him, and he certainly had no plan to talk to her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Their prefect rounds for the week came and went in complete silence, Aurora trailing behind Tom the whole time, not even caring to acknowledge him when they departed for the night, just walking straight towards the girl's dorms without as much as a second look behind her. As it had been all week, her departure signalled the return of the familiar ache in his muscles as he retired to his own bed. He had spent the summer assuming this was the price he was to pay for Myrtle's life, but Aurora had well and truly knocked his certainty. These were the thoughts that swamped Tom as he sunk into his dreamless sleep that night. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>*</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sunday signalled Tom's first meeting of the academic year, and the first time it had been remotely open to others outside of his inner circle. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Knights of Walpurgis had been formed at the beginning of Tom's fifth year, a 'club' he had started with the intent of furthering his plans to rise to power once he left Hogwarts. Currently, it consisted only of Avery, Lestrange, and Malfoy, a group that passed off well enough as his friends for no one to suspect the true control he had over them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The decision to expand had come after the Chamber of Secrets had been opened successfully in June. The response had been one of outrage from the majority, but the secret whispers that passed through the Slytherin Common Room suggested that there were students who were more than happy to hear of the passing of a mudblood within the school. Tom knew that the more followers he had, the more he would be capable of achieving, even if that meant divulging his truth to a select new few. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>So, as always, Tom made his way up to the Room of Requirement at 8 pm. A large mahogany door was already there to greet him in the seventh-floor corridor. Upon entry, Tom was greeted with six boys already waiting for him at the circular table in the centre of the room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It loosely resembled the Slytherin Common Room, a large fireplace decorating all four walls and illuminated by the low burning candles in the candelabras overhead. The main difference was, instead of the Slytherin crest, the fireplaces instead bore the image of a snake curling out a skull. Tom's lip curled up slightly at the detail, feeling rather proud of the mark he had created over the summer. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>At the sound of his entrance, all the boys stood, heads bowed at Tom man his way over to his seat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Gentlemen." He said with a curt nod, casting his gaze around the table. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As always, he was met with mutterings of </span>
  <em>
    <span>my lord</span>
  </em>
  <span> from all the boys, even the three new additions. Tom sat down, indicating to the others they were free to do the same. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Avery, why don't you introduce us to your friend over there," Tom said, his eyes locking on the seventh year sat next to Arche, his hands clasped on the table in front of him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Avery cleared his throat as he smirked at the others in the room, the same way he had done in the Common Room the first time of term. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Of course, my lord, this is Theodore Nott."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nott remained expressionless as he met Tom's gaze. Narrowing his eyes slightly, Tom's head tilted ever so slightly to the side as though inviting the boy to speak. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes," he faltered slightly, "I was invited here on the premise that you intended to address the issue of rising mudblood numbers, and couldn't help but be intrigued as to how you went about doing that." Nott finished, his tone somewhat challenging the younger student. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom offered no response, instead just inclining his head before turning towards Malfoy. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"And Malfoy, I assume these are the cousins you had spoken of." Tom gestured towards the two dark-haired boys said next to Abraxas, both of whom were staring intently at Tom. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Malfoy's mouth formed a strained smile before he spoke. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes, my lord, Orion and Cygnus Black. Much like Nott over here I believe they are keen to help the cause." At this, both the boys nodded eagerly. This elicited a chuckle from Tom. Oh, how easy they would be to manipulate. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well, I'm sure we can find something for them to assist with." He replied as the younger of the two sat back in his seat, looking rather pleased with himself. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finally, Tom turned to Lestrange, who had thus far remained entirely out of the conversation, staring into the fire opposite him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh Lestrange, it appears you've failed to bring anything to the table this month." Tom cooed, his voice laced with false sympathy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lestrange's head snapped up towards him, eyes wide as he began trying to form his response. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What? No my lord I-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom cut him off before he could finish, his eyes sparkling as he began to smirk cruelly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I thought I had made it quite clear before that we punish those who fail their tasks, Lestrange. Not to mention some of your behaviour so far this year has been less than </span>
  <em>
    <span>commendable." </span>
  </em>
  <span>Tom dragged out the final word, making sure he understood. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The confusion that flashed across Lestrange's face was quickly replaced with unbelief at what Tom had meant. Tom's smirk only widened in response. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You misunderstand my intentions, my lord," He spluttered, "I was only trying to establish a connection with Aurora, I never meant to offend you." He was trembling as Tom's gaze intensified at the sound of her name. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That may be so, Lestrange, but you still failed to present us with a new member. What of her younger brother? Was the plan not to utilise him? Regardless of your intentions, I instructed you to recruit, not to woo. I think we ought to demonstrate what happens when I am defied." Tom declared, noticing all three new boys it up a little straighter in their chairs as Lestrange seemed to sink into his. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes, my lord." It was barely a whisper, but Tom only smiled as he trained his wand on him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"As I thought. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Crucio</span>
  </em>
  <span>." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The scream that tore from Lestrange's throat as he writhed in pain was enough to draw a shocked gasp from Nott, whilst the smiles quickly faded from the two Black boys’ faces. Malfoy and Avery seemed unaffected, having witnessed Tom's cruelty enough before. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He held the curse for almost a minute, smiling coldly as Lestrange slumped off his chair onto the stone floor, continuing to flail as the curse ripped through his body. When he finally withdrew his wand, Raoul was left whimpering as he clutched at his chest, drawing in breath after jagged breath as though his windpipe was threatening to collapse. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"A subtle reminder, of what happens to those who disobey me." Tom addressed the others sat at the table. The response was the deep bowing of all five other heads, and Lestrange pulled himself back up onto his seat. Tom's smile vanished as his stoic expression returned and he pushed on with his meeting. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He had been debating telling the new boys about the Chamber of Secrets, but after seeing their response to his disciplinary techniques, decided that he saw very little chance of them telling anyone out of fear that they would face his anger next. So he did. He explained everything, from his ancestry to his direct involvement with the death of Myrtle. The young Black's wondrous expression returned and Nott's face seemingly lit up at the prospect of sitting with someone so willing to cleanse the school properly. The three were immediately sold on Tom's leadership, all agreeing to join his Knights with little to no questions asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As the meeting drew to a close, Tom handed out the tasks for the next couple of months. Most were recruitment again, but this month focusing on contacts outside of the school, even if it was only for the sake of Tom making connections to the outside Wizarding world that his muggle upbringing had deprived him of. Malfoy, Nott, and Avery were all too happy to oblige, all boasting impressive. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Next, he had tasked the younger boys with retrieving a couple of books from their library at home. It was simple enough that he doubted they would fail, but he knew the information could be critical if he obtained it, and the Black family library was rumoured to contain more information on Dark Magic than anywhere else in the world. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>At that, Tom stood, gesturing towards the door letting the boys know they were now free to return to the dungeons, but asking Lestrange to stay behind. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He had considered leaving his punishment at just the Cruciatus, but had seen an opportunity within Raoul's obvious attraction to Aurora, to not only continue to remind Lestrange of his position in Tom's ranks but also to get Rosier right where he wanted her. Even if it didn't work, he knew she would end up hurt either way. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I won't apologise for reminding you of your place, Lestrange, but I will say that I do not wish to repeat tonight's performance," Tom began addressing the black boy as the door had closed behind Avery. "However, I realised my mistake in only thinking there was one way to recruit the Rosier girl. Don't get me wrong, I knew she was a difficult little harpy, but it seems her tiring hubris has only increased over the summer. Consider this permission to use," Tom stopped briefly, seemingly considering his choice of words as Lestrange's eyes widened slightly, "</span>
  <em>
    <span>Any means necessary</span>
  </em>
  <span>."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lestrange seemed to be at a loss for words at this, his mouth moving but forming no words as his brow furrowed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Any means necessary, my lord? You mean-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"If it means charming your way into her knickers under the false pretence that you actually care for her when really it's only a farce to get her to one of my meetings? Yes, Lestrange that is exactly what I mean."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lestrange took a few moments to properly consider what was being asked of him. Tom had to admit, he was even slightly shocked at himself for asking such a thing and going to such an effort to get the girl he disliked so much on board, but after the events of the last week, he felt such a desire to have power over her mind and power that he was willing to look past even his own opinions. When Lestrange seemed ready to respond, he met Tom with slight apprehension, although Tom doubted it was towards the task itself. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Forgive me my lord, but are you sure she could be persuaded in such a way? Will she not see past my advances?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom chuckled again before answering, </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"She's the same as any common whore in this school, she'll do anything for an ounce of male attention," he spat, "and she'll only see past your advances if you don't play your cards correctly. Are you suggesting that you don't think you have the ability to fulfil another command?" He asked, his head inclined mockingly to the side as he had done earlier. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No, my lord. That is not what I meant." Lestrange answered, his gaze now fixed on the floor as his hands clasped behind his back. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Good. You have until the end of the year, as I'm aware that she may take somewhat longer to coerce than others. You are free to go." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And with that, Lestrange nodded solemnly and took his leave from the room, leaving Tom alone. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He knew he shouldn't have done it, that it was a particularly cruel thing to do because Tom felt he was rather past having his decision affected by whether it was right or wrong. Besides, Aurora deserved it. She deserved to feel humiliated, just the same as he had done in Ancient Runes the previous week. She deserved to pay for the turmoil her presence had thrown Tom in since the beginning of the year, and she deserved to be reminded that she was nothing more than a slag born to serve a wizard, regardless of her blood status. Tom was almost certain he could pin her, and this seemed like a suitable method. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Did she want to waste her talents by whoring herself out? Fine. Tom was all too willing to take advantage of that. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>If only Tom had known Aurora would throw one more spanner in the works that could either threaten to bring all his work crumbling to the ground or elevate him beyond all he ever dreamt of. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Once again, a big thank you to poppyflwrs for helping with the editing of this chapter!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Snitches and Smiles</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>No editor for this chapter so all mistakes are my own! Wanted to get one up in celebration of Tom Riddle's birthday. Happy New Year everyone!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>September rolled swiftly into October, and Aurora felt at ease knowing nothing had yet come of her run-in with Charlus Potter. The fact that Tom Riddle seemed to also be keeping his distance was an added bonus.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>One person who was certainly not keeping his distance however, was Raoul Lestrange. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora had barely noticed it at first, just smiles traded across the corridors and occasionally being around to hold a door open for her, but as the weeks went by his presence became more and more known. He was sitting slightly closer to her than Tom at lunch and making more of an effort to interact with her in their shared classes, especially Ancient Runes to Tom's obvious dismay. The boy had wasted no time in passive aggressively conveying his views on the budding partnership that was forming on the desk behind him, huffing in annoyance every time someone made a joking remark, or making a point to glare harshly at Aurora any time he found himself turning around, but never directly talking to her about it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Raoul had turned out to be genuinely rather likeable, a trait that Aurora didn't assign to most people. Tom's disapproval only spurred her on.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Where Aurora had normally sneered at anyone attempting more that a one-off proposition, she found herself more than willing to engage Lestrange's less that subtle flirting, even going as far to halt her trysts for the year, although she told herself that it was only because they were becoming boring, not because of any dark haired Seeker in particular. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The girls had noticed the change in Aurora too, becoming a little too giggly anytime he would walk past Aurora or wink at her at during meals, whilst pointing out the daggers every other girl in the Great Hall would stare at the one who had clearly captured Raoul Lestrange's ever so sought after attention. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>By mid-October, Lestrange had taken to escorting Aurora to most of her lessons, despite her slight annoyance and insistence that she was quite capable of getting to the Astronomy Tower herself. This was often met with only a laugh and him proceeding to loop his arm through hers, practically dragging her up the staircases whilst telling her about his day. Although there was very much nothing official about the two, the rumours of their relationship had begun to circulate rapidly, each one more insane than the other. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora swore one morning that if she heard one more whisper of her and Lestrange getting slightly too comfortable in the locker rooms down by the Quidditch pitch, someone was going to lose an eye and possibly a tongue. Raoul had swiftly kissed her knuckles and asked her to remind him to never overstep his mark.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>However, for the first time in her Hogwarts life, Aurora realised the rumours about her were pretty harmless. After years of being plagued by the hearsay of her less than favourable attitudes and actions towards Mudbloods, and her less than secret reputation as the school whore, the idea that the gossip was based around her being involved with only one person was oddly welcome. It was a pretty sad predicament really, to just be glad that people weren't calling her a slut that month in particular, but Aurora had grown more than used to it. That, and she was well able to deal with people who took it too far - the hearsay of her aggression was backed up pretty heavily by fact.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So Aurora allowed herself to let the rumours grow. She allowed herself to be seen walking slightly too close to Lestrange, to throw her head back slightly too dramatically in laughter at the jokes he made and to brush her lips gently against his ear as she whispered sweet nothings to him at any given moment just to see him fluster slightly at her boldness. She felt like a normal teen, something Aurora had never really had before. Especially after her summer, her interactions with Lestrange were a godsend. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>To have someone warm to her with no clear ulterior motive, and not after being forced together from childhood was new to Aurora, but she hardly minded. She’d be damned if she let such a good thing go to waste.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>*</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The first Quidditch match of the year was met with much excitement, set to be Slytherin vs. Gryffindor. Slytherin had been the Quidditch champions for the last five years, and none of the other houses had even come close to defeating them. Aurora knew all too well at this point that that was a particular badge of honour the Raoul wore proudly, and he had assured Aurora that he did not intend to break that streak in his first year as Team Captain. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The morning of the match, Lestrange had sat with the rest of his team, heads pushed together over plates upon plates of food that no one except for the squat little fourth year Beater seemed to be eating, all too engrossed in the conversation to eat. Aurora didn't even try to hide the glances she had thrown in his direction, catching his eye once or twice and feeling slightly warm when she saw the smile he was trying to supress at her obvious distractions. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When the team had finally stood up to leave the hall, met with cheers from the table of snakes, Raoul had made a point of sweeping down to press a chaste kiss to Aurora's cheek, winking as he pulled back with a school boy grin on his face as he called, </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Wish me luck, Rosier!" Aurora only stuck her tongue out in response. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When her eyes finally averted from his retreating figure, Aurora was greeted by her three companions practically squealing in response to the rare public display of affection from her. She allowed a light chuckle to leave her, but immediately stopped as she felt a slight tugging in the back of her mind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Whipping her head towards the end of the table, Aurora's eyes landed squarely on Riddle, who was staring at her over his plate. She scowled at him, not quite believing that he would attempt Legilimency on her after almost two months of complete silence. The tugging stopped as he exhaled and returned to his conversation with Avery and Malfoy as though he hadn’t just tried to invade her mind. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora knew that Tom was fully aware of the consequences of trying to pry into her head, having had to spend a night in the hospital wing nursing a very broken nose in Fourth Year. The thought of Tom stumbling back away from a fourteen year old Aurora with blood streaming down his face after a very well aimed punch was enough to bring back Aurora's unnaturally sunny mood she had been sporting thus far. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The walk down to the pitch ought to have been rather miserable, with the biting wind causing Aurora's hair to fly wildly around her face as they trudged down the muddy track towards the stands, but instead Aurora was smiling, even if she wasn't quite sure why. The excitable chatter surrounding her only grew louder the closer they got, the steady stream of red and green from the castle pouring into the seats. Olive practically dragged the three other girls into the front seats of the Slytherin stands, hanging over the edge as her charmed scarf flashed green and silver. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Thea was laughing at Olive's enthusiasm, wearing a similarly charmed scarf as they all did, as Dorea tucked an awfully hidden red bow into the button hole of her coat. Aurora raised an eyebrow at this, as Dorea just shrugged, but Aurora's unspoken question was quickly answered as a swarm of red and yellow flew onto the pitch, Charlus Potter taking the lead, swinging his beater's bat high in the air. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The crowds met them with mixture of cheers and booing, as commentator Francis Jordan, a very over enthusiastic Ravenclaw sixth year, introduced each member of the Gryffindor team. He noted that the team was looking stronger than ever before as the chasers began circling the pitch to show off. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The roars of support for the lions were quickly drowned out when the snakes appeared, Aurora immediately spotting Lestrange as he shot out from the Slytherin changing rooms with his team in tow. Slytherin was undoubtedly the least liked house at Hogwarts, but no one could deny they had an unmatched ability to churn out some of the best Quidditch players in England. The team flew in perfect formation around the stadium behind Raoul, unlike the Gryffindor team who flew anywhere they fancied. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jordan introduced the team once again, taking extra time to let everyone know that beater Atticus Greengrass and keeper Valen Yaxley had both been signed prematurely to the Kenmare Kestrels for when they finished school in June. Aurora knew it was normal for the teams to scout their new players young, given that Raoul had already received offers from three different teams at the end of last year. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Professor Tormund, the rather harsh looking flying teacher, walked out onto the pitch as both teams landed, Potter and Lestrange walking towards each other as the crowds continued to scream in support.  The two shook hands, although Aurora could tell it was incredibly forced given how quickly both drew their hands back after, Lestrange even going as far as to wipe his hand on his quidditch robes after earning a laugh from Aurora at his obvious disdain for the blood traitor. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tormund released the snitch, and Jordan announced the game had begun. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he had said the Gryffindor team was strong this year, he had not been lying. After ten minutes, the score was already 10-10, Yaxley only having let the quaffle in after avoiding a particularly well aimed bludger from Charlus flew towards him at the same time as the lion's chaser had scored. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Slytherins seemed hardly phased though, as they continued to fly circles around the other team. On more than one occasion, Raoul had flown past Aurora to blow kisses at her, much to the delight of Olive and Thea. He really was a terrible flirt. Dorea seemed all too focused on a particular Gryffindor to notice. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora was enjoying herself up until she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned to who it was, and inhaled sharply when she met the familiar dark eyes that had been so intently avoiding her for the past few weeks. Avery and Malfoy were with him, but were all too busy watching the game to take any notice of his actions. They must have entered the stands after the girls, because Aurora knew she would have moved had she been aware of the company.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No offence, Riddle, but would you so kindly fuck off? I've been enjoying your absence." Aurora shouted over the roar of the crowd as Slytherin scored another goal, taking the score up to 90-30 in the snakes' favour. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom scowled at her, knowing she really meant full offence, but clearly not wishing to start an argument right there. He withdrew his hand, returning a rather bored stare to the game. Aurora knew he had no interest in quidditch, so the fact he was here at all instead of holed up in the Library or trying to work his way even further into Slughorn's arse was a shock in itself. The fact he had even looked her way, let alone touched her was even more of a shock. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora quickly snapped back to reality as the crowd roared again, signalling another goal fro the Slytherin team. Her eyes roved over the pitch, locking in immediately onto the head of dark hair that was circling the pitch again, clapping at his team's success. His hands were off his broom handle as he hollered well done at his chasers much to the dismay of the Gryffindors, who were becoming more and more frantic with their technique. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora could see Charlus Potter practically steaming as he hit bludger after bludger at the Slytherins but unable to throw them off their rhythm. Dorea was inhaling nervously with every swing the Gryffindor captain took, which Aurora found quite endearing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>By the one hour mark the score was up to 170-40, the most anyone had managed to score against the Slytherins in three years, with no obvious sign of the snitch. Raoul looked like he could hardly care less, as he continued to fly nonchalantly around the pitch, as the Gryffindor seeker zipped up and down as though his life depended on that tiny golden ball. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was then that Aurora felt her heart drop into her stomach. Dorea had gasped as Potter hit a bludger straight towards Lestrange's back. Aurora screamed his name, and could almost hear Tom's laughter behind her as her heart rate spiked the closer the ball got to him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was barely ten centimetres away from Lestrange's head when he suddenly dived out the way, Aurora falling back into the stands with relief as the bludger passed straight by his head. She was now certain she could hear Tom's laughter, deep and obnoxious, but she didn't care, all her focus was on Raoul who had spotted the snitch, as he shot down the pitch, the Gryffindor seeker barely registering what was happening until the sea of green in the stands erupted in earth shaking cheer as he rose high on the pitch, the snitch clutched tightly in his raised hand. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Gryffindor team flew down to the ground as the score was changed to 320-40, all with heads bowed and Charlus Potter looking like he fancied hitting some with his bat. The Slytherins seemed more than happy to partake in several victory laps, circling the stands at least 7 times before the cheer began to die down and they returned to the ground. In the time it had taken for them to land, Aurora and the girls had made their way down the stairs followed closely by Riddle and his boys, spilling onto the pitch with several other students all wishing to congratulate the team. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was the most impressive first game of the season the school had ever seen, no house ever having come close to winning by such a margin so early in the league. The seven snakes were being hoisted up onto the shoulders of other students, all pumping their fists in the air as the Gryffindors sulked off the pitch. Dorea had subtly stalked off after them, chasing after a certain beater. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora pushed herself towards the team, keen to separate herself from Riddle who had been creeping closer and closer to her, eyes never leaving Lestrange as he laughed and clapped his fellow teammates on the shoulder, evidently very much enjoying the attention and oblivious to the approaching blonde. Aurora put her fingers to her mouth and whistled, Raoul's head turning immediately towards her as his smile spread even wider, if that was possible. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He pushed himself off of the random seventh years who had him propped up, and half ran towards Aurora, the crowds parting in front of him to avoid being knocked down by the tall seeker. Aurora paced forward, her own smile almost hurting her cheeks. She had been expecting it when Raoul picked her up into an embrace and spun her round, his laughter shaking his whole body as Aurora gasped at the sudden movement. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She hadn't expected for him to thread his fingers into her hair and pull her face towards his, their lips crashing together as the crowd seemed to erupt once again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But all the noise of cheers and wolf whistles seemed to fade away as he gently lowered her back down, his hand never leaving the back of her head as the other came to rest on her waist. Aurora's arms looped around his neck as he pulled her closer and she sighed into his embrace. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She didn't care about the audience as Raoul tugged at her hair, pulling her head back to deepen the kiss as his tongue traced across her bottom lip, but never pushing past. She felt herself melt into his touch as they stood there, blissfully lost in the moment they were sharing, his mouth slanting perfectly over hers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was gentle, and warm, and Aurora could him smile against her lips before he slowly pulled back to rest his forehead against hers, the subtle smell of grass and broom polish filling the air around her as she opened her eyes, laughing quietly at the boy who was now staring at her in a way she had never seen from any man before. It wasn’t lustful or hungry, it was just pure adoration.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That," Raoul whispered, panting slightly, as the hand that had been resting on the back of her head moved to her hip, "Was the best post-match congratulations I could have received."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora just smiled up at him as the world around them seemed to return and her ears were flooded with the cheers of the Slytherin supporters once again. The last few weeks of getting to know Raoul had been like a dream for Aurora. She had never felt so appreciated by someone for nothing other than simply being there. She had no reason to think he had wanted anything from her, and the way he had just kissed her had made her feel weak in the most incredible way. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora let her arms drop from around Raoul's shoulders, finding his hands at her waist and threading their fingers together. Raoul's eyebrow quirked up as she turned and began to tug him away from the pitch, towards the exit. They were met with the excited squealing of what seemed like every girl in the vicinity, whilst every boy seemed keen to commend Raoul for his success in bagging Aurora Rosier. Aurora still didn't care what they thought, to hell with them all.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Only one student was left to pass before they were fully out of the stadium, as they were strolling towards the exit themselves. Aurora felt her stomach tighten at the sight of the neat brown hair as they got closer and closer, wishing to see anyone but Tom right at this moment. He would have seen everything that had just happened, and Aurora wasn't sure how she felt about that just yet. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora hoped they could just run past him, evade the almost certainly oncoming sneer and thread of insults, but much to her dismay, their approach was not unnoticed, and he turned his head just before they passed. However, Tom did not sneer, nor he did not make any comment. If anything, Tom's real reaction unsettled Aurora more than anything else ever could.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom Riddle was smiling. </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. The Birds of Ill Omen</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>In Tom's humble opinion, the first Quidditch match of the year could not have gone better. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>In all the five years Tom had known Aurora, he had never seen her so happy, and the fact he could take it all away from her at a moment’s notice would have made him positively gleeful had he been able to feel as such. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He swore he could almost feel Aurora's elation when Raoul had thrown himself at her, the hot rage she always brought to him turning to just a warmness in his stomach for a brief moment. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As far as Tom was aware, he had Aurora Rosier in his grasp. Whether or not his assumption was correct was yet to be seen. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He knew he had time, it was still far too soon to say she'd come to him willingly, despite her eagerness towards Lestrange. No, Tom would drag this one out, and make it as painful for both parties as possible when decided it was time. It was far too good an opportunity to lose.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>*</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In the days following the Quidditch match, Tom had already discovered an oversight on his part when asking Lestrange to shack up with Rosier for the sake of the Knights. Not only did Lestrange hardly ever show up to meals or study sessions, but when he finally did he always had the blonde harpy in tow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Every meal became a chore, Aurora actively ignoring Tom's existence whilst merrily engaging his other followers, glaring daggers at him any time he dared even breathe too loudly. Tom knew her hostility this time probably stemmed from his attempt to use Legilimency on her the morning of the match, and he hated to admit he probably deserved it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He knew he had improved since returning to Hogwarts, given that he could slip in Avery's mind with little to no resistance now, and the boy gave no indication he had noticed. He was yet to attempt the same with Malfoy or Lestrange, given that both families were known to be natural Occlumens. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was a silly thing to think he could slip past Aurora's walls if he hadn't even attempted to do the same to the boys, but he was far more inclined to purposely annoy her than to invade the privacy of those closest to him. The more Tom thought about it, the more her current annoyance towards him was justifiable. It didn't take away from how entertaining it was to watch her sneer at him over a coffee mug in the mornings was, though. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As much as Lestrange's habit to now plow into the dorm way past curfew with his robes half on and a stupid yet very satisfied smirk painting his face was incredibly vexing, Tom had to commend him on his success in ensnaring Aurora. The last meeting the Knights had had in October had Tom rather reluctantly congratulating him on his efforts. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Whilst the extensive lists of contacts that Malfoy, Avery and Nott had delivered to him had been useful, the only witch Tom even cared to put his effort towards capturing remained to be Rosier. She was far too captivating to let go, and Tom knew his draw to be near her was growing stronger by the day. He couldn't explain how, or why, but it was there in a full force far more often than he cared to admit. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Just like on the Quidditch pitch, however, the rage within him seemed to settle when she was near. She was no longer the catalyst for his anger but the suppressant. It was becoming warmer and calmer, clearing his mind instead of constantly feeling like there was fiendfyre eating away at his insides anytime she was with him. It was inexplicable, but the feeling was addictive. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom had spent so many years feeling nothing, yet within a matter of weeks, she had ripped through his life, knocking his whole world off-kilter. The only thing Tom could attribute to the sudden change was his knowledge of what he was doing to her. He had read enough about muggle psychology over the summer to know it was possible to condition oneself to feel a certain way in particular situations. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Surely, knowing that he had total control over her happiness was enough for his brain to conjure up all the positive emotions Tom was capable of, hence why he'd been feeling such a way. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He hated to admit there was a method in muggle findings, but it only made sense. It was a simple answer to a relatively simple situation. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wasn't it?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>*</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lessons for Tom had always been rather easy. He had supposed in First Year that his academic advantage came from the fact he had already had a muggle education before attending Hogwarts, but soon learned that he was, in fact, just magically superior to all of his peers. He was a natural wizard and all the teachers doted on him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Except for one. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was no wizard that Tom hated quite as much as he hated Albus Dumbledore. Not even his disdain for Aurora came close. Most saw the man as an idol, an exemplary wizard and genius set to defeat Grindelwald, but all Tom saw was a power hungry fool who hid his ambitions behind twinkling eyes and faux inspirational speeches to his classes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But Tom was good. He did his part, he sat attentively in class whilst the professor rambled on about the dangers of Transfiguration without the proper care taken when casting, before going on to turn a pocket watch into a whistle. Tom had always found their obvious difference of opinion on what made magic 'dangerous' rather humorous. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was in a Transfiguration lesson in mid-November, however, when Tom began to suspect his hatred of Dumbledore was shared. He had been sat at his usual desk at the front of the class with Malfoy next to him, when the sudden wash of warmth had come to him. It was nowhere near as intense as he normally felt, but still noticeable against his normal chill, so Tom had turned, and of course been greeted by the sight of Aurora, flanked by Lestrange and Black. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her eyes looked positively feral, but her stride maintained her regular poise and nonchalance. Lestrange had his arm looped through hers and Black was muttering quietly in her ear as they stopped at the desk behind him, Dorea patting Aurora lightly on the shoulder before turning back to take her seat next to some Ravenclaw student who Tom hadn't bothered to learn the name of. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora had practically slammed her bag down onto the table, and Tom quirked an eyebrow mockingly at Lestrange as if to </span>
  <em>
    <span>ask what did you do to piss her off? </span>
  </em>
  <span>Lestrange just put his hands up defensively, looking towards his girlfriend cautiously as he leaned forward towards Tom. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Had to stop her from cursing some Gryffindor girl who called her the-" Lestrange cut himself off before looking back towards Aurora and lowering his voice once again. "The 'Slytherin team's slag.'" Lestrange's face scrunched up at the name as if the idea of having to share her was worse than her being insulted. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom just laughed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Why did you need to stop her?" he asked curiously, knowing full well she had no moral issue with cursing people herself. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Suppose I just didn't want to have to deal with cleaning up the remnants of the girl when 'Rora was done with her," Lestrange said almost proudly, fully aware of what she was capable of. It was clear that in the few weeks they had been apart, Aurora hadn't lost her aggressive streak by any stretch of the imagination. Tom was about to formulate a response when Professor Dumbledore swept into the room, the students falling silent. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lestrange moved back into his seat, and Aurora slumped forward, her chin resting on her hands and she seethed quietly. Tom turned his attention back to the front of the class, where Dumbledore had flicked his wand towards the board, the notes writing themselves on the content of today's lesson. It reminded Tom all too much of the first lesson he had had with Aurora that year, when she had used presumably the same spell to rewrite her essay.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As the lesson began, Tom could feel the warmth within his body slowly begin to intensify, building back up to how he normally felt in Aurora's presence. He quickly averted his gaze from where Dumbledore had been demonstrating how to summon a small flock of canaries, to glance towards Aurora. She was now sat back in her seat watching their professor with an unreadable expression that no longer conveyed whether she was still lamenting not being allowed to curse the girl who had insulted her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was in his moment of distraction that Dumbledore had decided to pick on Tom. He hadn't been as discreet as he thought he had. That or his professor was just a meddlesome bore who strongly disliked Tom. Possibly both. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Mister Riddle, you've always proven to be quite proficient in this class, how about you demonstrate this particular charm for your peers?" the old man asked innocently. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom stifled a scoff. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Proficient? </span>
  </em>
  <span>Only one other student in Hogwarts' history had even beaten his marks in Transfiguration, some Gryffindor called Minerva who had graduated a few years before him. Instead, Tom just nodded in the wizard's direction as he stood, twirling his wand around his fingers before pointing it towards the space above his desk. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>Avis</span>
  </em>
  <span>."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Just as Tom had expected, his execution of the charm was perfect. Six identical blue canaries shot out the end of his yew wand, before proceeding to fly in a small circle in front of him. Tom's facial expression remained fixed as he muttered a '</span>
  <em>
    <span>finite</span>
  </em>
  <span>' and watched the small bird disappear as quickly as he had conjured them, not wanting to betray his smugness towards thwarting Dumbledore's obvious little plan to try and catch his off guard. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dumbledore just continued to smile at him, eyes twinkling in a way Tom was certain held some more sinister intentions than just congratulating his student. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"An excellent demonstration of a rather tricky bit of magic, Mister Riddle," he addressed Tom directly before turning slightly to address the rest of the class as a whole. "Of course, the Bird Conjuring Charm is still among the easiest of those used to summon living creatures, but impressive nonetheless."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom noticed the slight bite in the end of the Professor's words but continued to look at him as though he hadn't just subtly undermined his abilities. The lesson continued as normal, Dumbledore instructing the rest of the class on the appropriate pronunciation and wand movement needed to perform the spell properly without actually allowing anyone to try. Tom sat quite bored, conjuring and vanishing his small flock of canaries until the Ravenclaw sat next to Dorea Black's hand shot in the air. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Miss Clearwater?" Dumbledore acknowledged her. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Clearwater! That was her name,</span>
  </em>
  <span> Tom thought.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes, sorry sir. I suppose my question is quite unrelated to the lesson but I wanted to ask nonetheless. You see, my brother works at the Ministry and says they're all quite worried about Grindelwald's next moves. I know you're quite involved with the efforts to keep him under control, and I was just wondering if Hogwarts will remain safe should he decide to attack England?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The entire class seemed to stiffen at the mention of the current Dark Lord's name. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But Tom didn't. Instead, he felt every ounce of warmth within him dissipate, replaced with the searing hot anger so fast he had to grip the sides of his desk to stop his body lashing out as a physical response to the change. He looked up at Dumbledore, as his knuckles began to turn white with the effort he was exhausting to remain still, to see the sparkle die from the man's eye. He released a deep sigh before answering. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That's quite alright, Miss Clearwater, I assumed some student would ask sooner or later, if anything I was surprised nothing had been said thus far," Dumbledore chuckled slightly at that before his tone turned very serious. "But all I can say at this moment, students, is that Hogwarts is the safest place in Scotland. Whilst here, no harm can befall you, even at the hands of this so-called 'Dark Lord.' Do I make myself quite clear?" The class seemed to murmur in agreement. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom was still gripping his desk when he turned again, only to see that Aurora's seating position had changed once again. Instead of lounging back in her seat completely deadpan, she had leaned forward, her hands flat against her desk and her lip curled, jaw tensed and nostrils slightly flared. Lestrange looked alarmed at his girlfriend's sudden change of demeanour, but was slowly rubbing circles into her back. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She looked as angry as Tom had suddenly felt. He wasn't sure if the Professor had noticed the way his student was currently staring daggers at him, but he had swiftly moved the lesson on, his overly happy disposition back in place. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well, I suppose I ought to get all of you trying the charm, that is of course what we are here for. We'll go one at a time, as there's far too many of you for all of us to be conjuring a flock of birds at the same time. Alphabetical order. Miss Black, if you will," he finished, smiling at Dorea as she got to her feet. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>One by one, each student in the class stood up, all conjuring their own flock to varying degrees of success. Some managed a flock slightly smaller than Tom's, maybe three or four canaries, some took a few attempts to conjure one bird. Where Tom would normally be feeling smug, he was instead continuing to stare at Aurora, his fingers slowly turning numb as his hold on the desk remained strong. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Miss Rosier, it's your turn now," the professor said jovially, it now being clear he was oblivious to the look Aurora was fixing him with. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Of course, sir," she smiled tightly as she snatched her wand off the desk and stood up, staring Dumbledore straight in the eye as she whispered the incantation. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The whole class seemed to draw in a sharp breath simultaneously at what shot out the end of her wand. Eight large, black ravens circled the air above Aurora's head as she lowered her wand, the side of her mouth quirking up into a half smile at the obvious shock on her teacher's face. Everyone was silent, watching as Aurora's flock flew in and out of formation, save for one Gryffindor boy who was sat in the back corner of the class, snickering to his friend. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Always said that one was mental," he laughed, only just loud enough for everyone to hear. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora whipped her head towards him, and Tom felt another jolt of heat rip through him, his grip faltering slightly and he swore he had never felt anything as strongly as he felt the current hatred boiling in his stomach as if letting go of the table would put the lives of those within the three-metre radius of him at risk of falling victim to his emotions. His gaze remained stuck to Aurora, however, who was now smiling sweetly at the Gryffindor in question. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom swore he heard her mutter something else, but before he had time to think on it, the ravens had made a V-formation and shot towards the boy one after another. He shouted a very impressive string of profanities before diving under the table to try and hide from the oncoming attack of the birds. It didn't work, of course, and he was left trying to swat away as many of the ravens as he could. Aurora just continued to smile. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The rest of the class had descended into screams at the sudden attack, no one quite sure of what had happened. Lestrange was staring at Aurora with a mixture of fear and adoration, and Black looked utterly fed up as she continued to write her notes, unfazed by the ruckus caused by her friend. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>FINITE.</span>
  </em>
  <span>" The class fell into silence once again as Dumbledore's voice boomed around them, the birds disappearing and leaving the Gryffindor boy whimpering under his desk as he registered that he was no longer under attack. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom watched Aurora turn back to face Dumbledore, her face now decorated with obviously fake surprise instead of a smile. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm so sorry, sir, I believe I lost control of my birds at the sudden distraction and couldn't think fast enough to use the counter charm myself. Would you like me to escort Mister Jenkins to the Hospital Wing so that I might properly apologise for my lapse in concentration?” she asked sweetly, eyes wide with feigned concern.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dumbledore made no effort to hide his concern as his brows furrowed at the girl in front of him, who had just displayed a level of magic unseen in most advanced wizards even in the Ministry's ranks. Not only that, but her magic had then attacked another student, though she had provided no evidence of actually charming the birds to do as much, covering her tracks in a truly Aurora Rosier fashion.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom found that part rather amusing, though he thought he might enjoy the show slightly more did he not currently feel an unfounded need to rip the heads off of all those currently in his presence. His grip on the desk tightened still. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There will be no need for that, Miss Rosier,” Dumbledore began, his eyes seemingly searching Aurora’s face for something, though Tom was not sure what. “I’m sure Mister Edwards will be more than happy to take his friend down to Madam Marsite, won’t you?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He nodded towards the Gryffindor who was standing next to a trembling Jenkins, tugging him to his feet and quietly leading from the room. Tom knew that Aurora’s offer had been empty, and it was clear Dumbledore knew the same. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>At that, Aurora took her seat once again but made no effort to pick up her quill and continue. Instead, she crossed her hands over the chest and rested her head on Lestrange’s shoulder. It appeared she felt the lesson for her was over. Tom, in turn, turned back to the front of the class, allowing himself to slowly let go of the table in front of him as he felt the heat within him settle slightly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was aware of the faint sting along the surface of his palms and fingers as he finished his notes that day but knew his focus was far from conjuring canaries. What was this girl doing to him? Tom knew he could only blame his feelings on muggle psychology for so long, but this had to be something else. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>If Tom was not mistaken, he had felt what Aurora had felt. He wasn’t sure how, or why, but there was no mistaking the connection between the way she had been looking at their professor and the way he had suddenly been almost crippled by the hatred to match. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Dumbledore had told the class the lesson was over, Aurora had swept her belongings into her bag, grabbed Lestrange’s hand, and practically frogmarched him out of the classroom. No one dared comment on her swift exit, but Tom didn’t fail to notice the glances being thrown across the room. Even Malfoy was looking at Tom hesitantly, as though expecting some kind of direction as to how to proceed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Escort Black to Potions, it seems her friend has runoff.” Was all he said to the blonde boy next to him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Malfoy nodded before walking off towards Dorea, offering her his arm with his signature Malfoy smirk.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom knew he too ought to make his way to Potions, but was in no fit state at the moment. His heart was racing and he could feel his shirt sticking to his back. Where Aurora leaving would normally throw him back into his cold state, his body still felt as though it were on fire.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He would come up with some excuse when Slughorn asked about his absence eventually. Instead, he slowly repacked his satchel, making sure he was the last student in the room before exiting and making a beeline for the girl’s bathroom on the second floor.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Once again, a big thank you to poppyflwrs for helping to edit this chapter!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Unwanted</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Aurora had known that it was foolish of her to show off as much as she had in Transfiguration that day, and even more so to then lose her temper at that twat Jenkins. She wasn’t sorry, it was all worth it for the look on Dumbledore’s face, but she was sensible enough to recognise that it may have been a mistake to display quite how powerful her magic had become. </p><p>What was also worth it, however, was Raoul’s response. After recovering from their rather swift exit, he had all but pulled her into his arms and dragged her into the nearest broom cupboard. The Quidditch players were never ones to disappoint. </p><p>The response she hadn’t expected however, was Tom’s. Instead of sneering at her like he usually did, or making some derogatory comment about her inaptitude to Abraxas, he had just stared at her with an expression she couldn’t place. She had blamed her own anger in the moment for her lacking skills of perception into the illusive character that was Tom Riddle and his very few emotions. Has there been confusion? Fear? Maybe there had even been hatred. Ever since the Quidditch match Tom had become even harder to read than he had been before. </p><p>Something that hadn’t made the situation any easier was Raoul that had convinced her to sit with the boys at meals, saying it would mean the world to him if she were able to get to know his friends. Aurora’s only hesitation had been that his ‘friends’ included Tom, of course she never brought this up with him, just saying she felt unfair leaving the girls. After a few days of nagging though, she had agreed, but not without dragging Thea, Dorea and Olive with her. </p><p>Raoul had been ecstatic, and insisted on preparing her breakfast plate for her every morning, which she had to admit was rather endearing. The girls didn’t seem to mind either, Thea taking it as an incentive to get to know Abraxas better given that they were meant to be marrying each other in less than two years and had only ever exchanged pleasantries in class or at events. Dorea knew all the boys well enough from family functions over the years to keep a decent conversation going and Olive seemed to particularly enjoy staring between Arche and Tom at every meal.</p><p>Aurora had decided it would be best if she just tried to ignore Tom, and lucky for her he barely spoke at meals, except to occasionally correct facts in a story or chastise Raoul for his eating habits, always earning a glare from Aurora despite her efforts to not rise to him. She knew Raoul spent enough time in Quidditch practice for his need to eat three helpings of every meal to be justified, and could safely say it had no effect on his figure that she could complain about. </p><p>Yet Tom seemed completely unphased but her scowls, if anything he seemed far less hostile than he's been towards her at the start of the year. He had stopped narrowing his eyes when she spoke or tutting impatiently when she sat down. Instead, he seemed happy to just pretend she didn’t exist. It should have relaxed Aurora, knowing that maybe he was willing to ignore her too, and they could go on about the rest of their education politely refusing to acknowledge the other existed at all whilst interacting amicably with those around them. </p><p>But it only worried her. Tom was not one to ignore people, especially if he thought of them as a threat to him, and Aurora would know all about that having been his close academic rival for so long. She didn’t think he was stupid enough to believe she’s gone soft. He had seen her in Transfiguration, after all. She couldn’t help but feel like he was plotting, but she couldn't tell what exactly.  </p><p>*</p><p>November drew to a steady close, and the rumours about the bird incident came and went. The usual about Aurora being ‘unhinged’ and ‘dangerous’ mixed with those about how someone had seen her sobbing out of guilt’ in the bathrooms afterwards. </p><p>What the rumours seemed to have missed out on though, was how the Gryffindor girl Aurora had been restrained from cursing the very same day in the corridor has turned up in the Hospital Wing the next day with a severe case of cystic acne that had mysteriously appeared overnight and wasn’t responding to any of the Matron’s potions. Completely unrelated, of course. Aurora had a watertight alibi when Raoul had questioned her in the evening.</p><p>It was the first Sunday of December when Aurora had barely dragged herself and Raoul out of his dorm in time to actually make it down to breakfast. As much as Aurora liked Raoul, she couldn’t help but bask in how offended Tom had initially been by their unashamedly public displays of affection. Sleeping in his bed had started off as a horrifically selfish way to annoy him, but after a couple of weeks, Aurora had realised she had never slept quite as well as she did when she was in Raoul’s arms. </p><p>The sign up sheet for those wishing to stay at Hogwarts over the holidays had been posted that morning, and immediately put Aurora in a foul mood. She had always spent her holidays at a family home somewhere in the world, whether it be France with her aunt or at the Rosier estate in Buckinghamshire. This year, she was set to spend it in Austria, but it seemed that plans had changed.</p><p>The morning of the day Aurora had lost her temper in Transfiguration, she had received an owl from her mother. Guinevere Rosier was, in Aurora’s opinion, one of the most spineless women you could ever meet. Aurora despised her. She had been a powerful witch, and would have been well on her way to working her way up the ranks of the Ministry, but gave it all up to accept a role as a complacent Pureblood wife. Yet she had refused to raise her own daughter, instead loading her off onto her sister-in-law or the constant slew of nannies she had gotten through over the years. She never seemed to have any problem raising her son Evan, though. Figures. </p><p>One of Aurora’s most distinct memories of her childhood was from when she was only 7, after she had scared off the fourth nanny of the year with some form of accidental magic far too strong to have come from any normal child. Guinevere, with her perfect little Evan perched on her hip, had grabbed Aurora by the hair, and dragged her up to her room, screaming at the little girl the whole, making sure she knew what a hindrance she had always been, and that she was nothing but an attempt to provide a male heir for the Rosier line.</p><p>Often in situations like this, Aurora’s accidental magic would trigger again, and something would explode or fly across a room. This time in particular, it had caused a large tome that really had no place in a children's bedroom, a young Aurora had told herself in consolation at the time, to fly off of a bookshelf and hit her mother directly in the head, knocking her clean out causing her to drop Evan. </p><p>Aurora had managed to grab her brother, of course, but Guinevere had been left on the floor until her husband returned from the Ministry that night. He found his children unsupervised in the kitchens and surrounded by empty sweet wrappers, his daughter claiming to have no idea why her mother was laying spread eagle on her bedroom floor, and why would he ask? </p><p>After that burst of magic, Guinevere had been terrified of Aurora, refusing to even make eye contact with her daughter if she could avoid it, understanding just why they had gotten through as many nannies as they had. The time Aurora spent in France with her father’s sister increased exponentially as well. When Aurora had been accepted to Hogwarts, her mother had barely even acknowledged it, only signing the bottom of the letter she received from her father, congratulating her. </p><p>Etienne Rosier had always been the parent Aurora gravitated towards anyway, he was never scared of Aurora’s abilities ever since they had presented themselves at such a young age. In fact, he had always encouraged her, maybe you could even go as far as saying he loved her. Secretly, Aurora knew he only saw her as a product of his own skill and ability, but she had supposed it was nice that she had at least one parent willing to pretend they liked her. She wasn’t his heir, not since Evan had been born, so why should he even bother?</p><p>Given the rocky relationship with her parents, Aurora had been more than shocked when the huge greater sooty owl she recognised as her father’s had landed on her dorm window sill. She had been even more surprised to see her name in her mother’s cursive on the envelope. What was in the envelope had been less than welcome, however. </p><p>
  <em>Aurora,</em>
</p><p>
  <em> You are no longer needed in Austria over Christmas. Stay at Hogwarts or make your own plans. The estate will be empty over the time as I am taking Evan to France and your father has prior engagements and I do not want you to return there alone.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Regards, </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Guinevere Rosier </em>
</p><p>Never one for many words, was Aurora’s mother, but something about the distant formality of the letter had really wound Aurora up that morning. ‘Not needed’? What did she mean she wasn’t needed? And who was Guinevere to tell Aurora when and where she was needed? The woman hadn’t taken any interest in Aurora for almost ten years now. </p><p>So, as Aurora stood staring at the sign up sheet in the Slytherin Common Room, she was reminded that this was in fact where she would be spending her holidays this year. Alone and unneeded. The familiar hatred she associated with her mother boiled steadily in the base of her stomach at the thought.</p><p>The only thing that had ever truly scared Aurora was the prospect of being unwanted, shunned by those she was closest to. Her whole life she had strived to be nothing but the best, gaining the respect of any and all she met. She had never told anyone this, of course, but her fear had woven it’s way into every facet of her life. </p><p>She was shaken from her thoughts at the feeling of fingers brushing across her palm and intertwining with her own that had hung limply at her side. She felt the hatred settle as her eyes found Raoul’s, full of concern at the way she had been staring at the list as though it were some sort of death sentence. </p><p>“You okay, ‘Rora?” He asked, his voice soft as he gave her hand a small squeeze. </p><p>Aurora had told him about the letter, but not of its contents. She hadn’t wanted to let anyone know she’d be staying at Hogwarts, simply sign the list the night before the Hogwarts Express left and hope no one wondered where she was on the train the following day. The thought of taking such a blow to her pride as having to admit she had nowhere to go filled Aurora with disgust.</p><p>It was a stupid plan. Of course they would notice she wasn’t there but that didn’t stop the shame that flared every time Olive gushed about Christmas shopping or Arche had mentioned the Christmas Ball at Malfoy Manor.</p><p>“Yeah,” she replied quietly, “just tired after last night, that's all.” Aurora mustered up a grin, hoping it didn’t look as weak as she felt. </p><p>Her answer seemed to satisfy Raoul as he laughed, leaning down to place a kiss on the side of her head, and led her away from the notice board and down towards the Great Hall. </p><p>*</p><p>Aurora’s saving grace that morning, however, came in the form of Abraxas Malfoy. </p><p>She had sat down rather gracelessly next to Thea, ignoring the inquisitive way Tom had been looking at her upon their late arrival and scowling at Arche as he made a comment about the Princess waking up on the wrong side of the bed that morning as asking if a public execution would appease Her Royal Highness’s sour mood. She had bitten back a laugh at the fact it probably would have, instead asking him if he was offering himself as a sacrifice. </p><p>Raoul had proceeded to butter a piece of toast for her, getting the hint that she probably wasn’t in the mood for much that day, when Abraxas cleared his throat, making a point to adjust the front of his robes in a very exaggerated way. </p><p>“I received an owl from my mother this morning asking to confirm which of you will be attending the Christmas Ball. Now, given how many times I’ve had to give her my opinion on incredibly minor decorational details in the last two months, I am expecting all of you to be there, if only to admire my impeccable taste in French imported chair covers.” He spoke seriously, but was met with laughter from all those at breakfast, except Aurora, who had sat in silence gnawing at the toast Raoul had just passed her. </p><p>“ ‘Course I’m coming Brax, wouldn’t miss it for the world.” Arche returned jovially as Olive giggled excitedly next to him, nodding her head in agreement. </p><p>“And you, Tom? You’re still planning to come?” Abraxas asked Tom tentatively.</p><p>Tom said nothing as all heads turned to him, just nodding towards Abraxas, far less enthusiastically than Olive had, over the mug of coffee he had been nursing, Aurora had never really thought about where Tom went during the holidays. She knew he never attended any of the Pureblood functions she or her friends had ever been dragged long to, but never until now had it spiked her curiosity.</p><p>Abraxas just offered him a small smile in acknowledgment. Thea then rounded on Aurora. </p><p>“And you, Aurora? Please say you’ll be there, you haven’t come to any of the Malfoy’s functions in years” she pleaded, tugging lightly at the sleeve of Aurora’s robe. Aurora couldn’t help but feel slightly guilty, an emotion it seemed she reserved for Thea and Thea alone. Something about the way her big eyes widened when she asked something of you made it almost impossible to refuse. </p><p>“Oh, I’m not quite sure, Thea-” she began, but was swiftly cut off. </p><p>“But it’s going to be mine and Abraxas’s engagement announcement party!” Thea exclaimed, looking desperately at her best friend as the whole group seemed to still.</p><p>Aurora was, for once, speechless. She just sat there, swallowing as Thea continued to look expectantly at her. Thea’s betrothal had been a topic she hadn’t been willing to discuss, not even to Abraxas as far as Aurora had been aware. For her to bring it up as a way to guilt trip Aurora into attending a party was incredibly unfair. Aurora supposed there was a reason Thea was a Slytherin, though. </p><p>“Oh you know, my mother is taking Evan to France and my father is very busy at the Ministry, I just don’t think it would be fair to rely on him getting me to a fro since he’s shut off the Estate from the Floo network.” It was a shit lie, but the best Aurora could conjure at that moment. She normally had a lie prepared for most situations, but thinking this wouldn’t be discussed at a meal was a large oversight on her behalf. </p><p>Still, Etienne Rosier was an infamously private man, and him not wanting people to have immediate access to his grounds should have been half believable. The others just seemed content with her answer and returned to their meals, Raoul looking down disappointedly at the prospect of not being able to see his girlfriend at Christmas. She saw Abraxas’s eyes narrow only slightly at her before he replied. </p><p>“Well then why don’t you come and stay at the Manor the whole holiday?” He shrugged as though it were the obvious solution. Which it was really, Aurora wasn’t sure how she hadn’t just considered asking to stay with someone. She assumed it was her pride getting the better of her, once again. Asking for something would be risking rejection, and Aurora was not one to take rejection well.</p><p>“Oh, are you sure? I’d hate to feel I was imposing because of my father’s work commitments.” She asked, trying her best to sound quite as relieved as she felt.</p><p>“Of course, Tom is staying with us too, the more the merrier I suppose. Besides, my mother used to adore you, I’m sure she’d be more than happy to host you.” He reached over and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.</p><p>“Yes, the more the merrier.” Aurora confirmed, he tone clipped as she stole a glance towards the boy sat further down the table, whose sole focus seemed to have returned back to his coffee mug. </p><p>Thea beamed at Aurora. </p><p>“It’ll be my first public appearance as a soon-to-be Malfoy, I can’t tell you how happy I am that I’ll have you there!” She smiled, almost bouncing in her seat as she looked over to Abraxas. </p><p>Abraxas’s smile faltered only slightly as he withdrew his hand from where it was resting on Aurora’s, but he seemed to think no one had noticed the momentary change. Aurora decided to no press. </p><p>Aurora looked around at those she was sat with, and let it sink in just how idiotic she had been to think there was a possibilitly they would’t notice her absence over the holidays. It only further solidified her belief that was special amongst them. She felt a surge of renewed confidence as she relaxed into Raoul’s side, knowing she would be able to keep her worries from over the last couple of days well and truly locked away, her default cocky self assuredness reinstated. </p><p>The only negative in this situation now seemed to be that she would be spending her holidays in the company of Tom Riddle. She supposed he had been relatively well behaved up until now, maybe he’d just tuck himself into the Malfoy’s library for two weeks and they would only have to interact at the Christmas Eve Ball. Better yet, the ball would be attended by such a volume of people that they wouldn’t even need to interact. </p><p>In what felt like no time at all, the plates in front of the group had cleared and the masses began to leave the Great Hall to go about their Sunday activities. Raoul was the first to stand from the group of Slytherins, brushing the away creases Aurora had left in his robes from where she had been leaning against him. </p><p>“Well, me and ‘Rora are heading to the Library to get that essay for Slughorn completed, anyone willing to join us?” He asked as everyone else followed suit. </p><p>Arche just snorted. </p><p>“Abso-fucking-lutely not, me and Malfoy are going to <em> enjoy </em>our day of rest, not hole ourselves up in books, thank you very much.” Arche quipped, throwing his arm around Abraxas’s shoulder.</p><p>“Fair enough,” Raoul laughed, “Selwyn, Hornby?” He turned his head slightly as they began to walk towards the great oak doors. </p><p>“Sorry Lestrange, ‘Rora, we said we’d meet Dorea after breakfast.” Olive answered. </p><p>“Actually, where is Dorea?” Aurora inquired. </p><p>Dorea had been absent from a few meals now, always showing up in the dorm later in the day refusing to disclose where she’s been. Olive and Thea shared a knowing look before Olive spoke again. </p><p>“She said she was going for a walk to the Quidditch pitch.” She said with a grin.</p><p>Raoul looked slightly confused at that. </p><p>“But, why? It’s not like any of the decent teams have practice to watch this morning, it’s the Gryffindor’s time slot. That, and it’s bloody freezing.” He finished with a slight shiver for emphasis. </p><p>Aurora just laughed at his dramatics, raising her eyebrows towards the girls, only to have Thea raise an eyebrow in return and wink at her, confirming the answer to Aurora’s question she hadn't even needed to ask. Dorea was definitely not just going for a walk, but the boys didn’t need to know that. </p><p>“That’s okay, I’ll see you guys at dinner.” was all she said as the girls walked off towards the courtyards, tugging their scarves tighter around their necks. </p><p>Aurora had grabbed Raoul’s hand again, and was ready for a whole day with just him, when a final voice piped up, and she had to physically stop herself from rolling her eyes, forgetting there were more than six of them that morning. </p><p>“I finished the essay last week, but I suppose getting in extra some further reading couldn’t hurt, I’ll join you both.” Tom said as he fell in step with Raoul. </p><p>And to think he’s been doing so well at staying away. </p><p>“Sweet, I just need to run down to the dungeons to grab my bag. I’ll grab yours too, ‘Rora” Raoul said, oblivious to Aurora’s newfound annoyance, given that she really didn’t feel like having Tom Riddle of all people third wheeling their study date.</p><p>“Oh that’s ok, I’ll just come with you, it’s not that far. You know I can still do such mortal tasks as grabbing my books despite being in a relationship” She teased, but only doing so to avoid having to spend more time alone with Tom than necessary. </p><p>“Nonsense, I’ll be no time at all, you and Tom go straight to the Library and I’ll meet you at that table in the very back corner by the Restricted Section?” The way he had phrased it had sounded like a question, but the way he had hastily kissed her forehead before hastily walking off towards the staircases when they reached the entrance hall without awaiting her response had suggested otherwise. </p><p>Arche looked between Tom and Aurora, immediately sensing the tension between them before making no attempt to subtly grab Abraxas’s sleeve and dragging him in the same direction that Raoul had gone. Aurora huffed as they left, not wishing to even look at her new and very much unsolicited companion.</p><p>“So, do you plan to just stand in the Entrance Hall all day or are we going to the Library.” Tom asked from beside her, sounding rather bored. </p><p>Aurora’s head whipped round, sneering at Tom’s use of the word ‘we’, as it suggested she was actively going to study with him, instead of just putting up with his more than irritating presence for the sake of her boyfriend. He wasn’t smiling at her, but she couldn’t say his expression portrayed any of the malice she had grown accustomed to from him, either. He just looked inquisitive, the same way he had done when she had sat down at the table that day. It was a look that was becoming more and more common from him. </p><p>Aurora, however, decided to not dignify him with a response, making a point to intensify her sneer before she flicked her hair back over her shoulder and marched off towards Library corridor, silently cursing Raoul for being such a bloody gentleman all the time.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. In Closed Off Library Corners</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Tom kept a steady stride behind Aurora as she stormed away from him, not even trying to hide her displeasure towards his company. He had debated not taking up Raoul’s invitation to join them, but given that he would now be spending Christmas in the same house as her, Tom supposed he ought to test the waters with her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They had danced around each other for months now, and aside from the odd glare, Aurora’s mask of indifference when around Tom was annoyingly strong. Only the warmth she brought to him had continued, and the anger he’d felt in Transfiguration when she had lost her temper had not returned. He thought it may have relapsed a couple of times since, feeling something bubbling beneath the surface, but it had never blown up quite as spectacularly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>So it was as the head of long blonde hair disappeared around a corner towards the library, that Tom remembered why he had been so fervently avoiding her. She was powerful, and any doubts he had had about that had been shattered when he’d witnessed just how much she could do with seemingly so little effort. He knew he could use that power, she would be a strong asset within his ranks, regardless of certain wizards’ views on where witches belonged in the world. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom was no fool, he lived in a muggle orphanage over the holidays, after all, and had seen the devastating effect the muggle war was having on England. He had also seen the women step up in the area surrounding Wool’s in ways that would have been almost laughable had most of the men not been shipped off to France. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora was ten times as powerful as any of the filth he had to endure over the breaks, and Tom was certain she would be an integral part of his post-Hogwarts endeavors, regardless of how he felt about her. He could always remove her tongue if she became enough of an issue, non-verbal magic was just as strong.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But she still hated him. Of course, she did. Tom had given her no reason to not hate him. He had used Legilimency, or tried to, without her permission several times now and he had wasted no breath insulting her the first night of rounds they had endured together, only to immediately decide to ignore her completely, save for sour looks and muttered jibes in lessons. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The most obvious reason for hating him would probably be that he also threatened Raoul into forging a relationship with her and could end everything for her at a moment's notice. Merlin, he could do it now if he liked. It would be as easy as telling Raoul that he felt this mission was no longer worth it, and it would all be over. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>However, the mission was still very much worth it, should it allow Tom to reign control over her magic. So Raoul would be allowed to continue fucking Aurora like they were rabbits, and Tom would sit back and wait for her to fall straight into his arms when the relationship mysteriously crumbles around them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So are you just going to stand there or are you going to sit down?” an impatient voice drawled from just ahead of him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom looked down to see Aurora staring deadpan at him. It appeared he had let his thoughts wander so much he had completely missed making his way into the library. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And quite a way in for that matter, the table was tucked close to the ornate gates to the Restricted Section, surrounded by several stand-alone bookshelves and closing it off from prying eyes, and maybe even ears.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He didn’t respond, instead just placing his bag on the table in front of her, never breaking eye contact. Her face remained expressionless, but her blue eyes seemed to turn to ice the longer he held them, glazing over slightly as any emotion that may have been there died. She had been expecting him to attempt Legilimency again and put up her Occlumency walls. The warmth in his stomach began to frost over as he dragged a chair out from under the table to sit. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He should have just sat quietly with a book, allowed her to sulk until Raoul returned with her bag, but it had been far too long since his last foray into riling up Aurora Rosier, and he couldn’t help but wonder if there had been any significant changed to her in the last few months. Maybe he could pinpoint a new weakness (something he had thus far failed to do with any great accuracy) or she would slip up and divulge any of one of her seemingly numerous secrets. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>However, it wasn’t Tom who spoke first, it seemed Aurora was just as keen to spark up an argument. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, Thomas, it’s been a while since we’ve spoken, has it not?” she asked sweetly as she leaned forward on the desk opposite him, her chin resting lightly upon her balled hands. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Might I ask you to refrain from calling me by my given name, Rosier?” he huffed back, hating how easily it always seemed to roll off her tongue. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She just laughed in his face, still holding eye contact. Insufferable bitch. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know, might I ask you to stop trying to invade my mind whenever you feel like it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He probably should have seen that one coming. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I fail to see the issue here, Rosier, you are an adequate Occlumens,” that earnt a snort from her, “surely my attempts should be meaningless,” he reasoned, knowing full well it would be nowhere near a sufficient explanation. He just wanted the reaction. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The only thing that offends me is your heinous attempts at Legilimency. I think my brother could do a better job, and Evan is eleven. You even entertaining the idea that you would be able to beat my Occlumency is what I find offensive,” Aurora snipped back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So Evan Rosier was a Legilimens at eleven? Now that was interesting. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Might I ask where you learned such a skill then?” Tom queried, leaning back in his seat and crossing his legs, his hands coming to clasp together in front of his knee. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” she replied, without even missing a beat. Tom raised an eyebrow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Awh, is poor little Tommy upset that he isn’t quite as good as the Princess at something?” Aurora asked, pouting mockingly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was now Tom’s turn to laugh in her face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I exceed you in every other magical outlet, I wouldn’t waste my breath when you know full well I’ll have your mind cracked open very soon,” his tone was cool, but Aurora appeared unphased. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I recall you saying something very similar to that on our first night of rounds, dare I ask if you remember my response, or where your </span>
  <em>
    <span>emotions</span>
  </em>
  <span> running a bit too high for you to have retained the exact details?” she smirked wickedly now, and Tom had immediately caught onto her meaning. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You flatter yourself far too much, Rosier,” he replied, not at all enjoying the implication that he would allow something so carnal to cloud his mind, “and I do remember, for that matter. Something about ‘others have tried and failed.’ Care to elaborate?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom has been expecting her response, but it didn’t stop the pang of disappointment he felt when it came. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Merlin, you’re a tricky witch aren’t you,” he sighed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you,” Aurora returned curtly. He needed to change his approach. There was no sore spot to be found here. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It wasn’t a compliment.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“To me it was,” she kept smiling, and Tom still wanted nothing more than to reach across the table and wrap his hand around her throat, seeing if she would continue to smile as he slowly cut off her oxygen supply. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tell me, Rosier, do you ever get bored of being a stuck up, spoiled little brat?” he bit out, starting to grow tired of her nonchalance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can’t say that I do, no. You see, being a spoilt brat, as you so eloquently put it, has only ever gotten me exactly who and what I want. Why on earth would I ever grow tired of that?” Aurora now shifted in her seat, leaning back to cross one leg over the other, imitating Tom’s stance. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Or so you think,” Tom dipped his head slightly as he answered if only to intensify his gaze. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And what exactly is that supposed to mean?” Aurora demanded, and Tom smirked at the faint annoyance he heard in her voice. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Surely a brat who got everything she wanted would be home with her family over Christmas and not practically salivating over an invitation to spend it with someone else.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Okay, so salivation was an over-exaggeration, but Tom had hardly missed the way Aurora’s eyes had lit up when Malfoy had offered to house her during the holidays. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom also did not miss how her eyes lit up again now, except instead of joy he saw fire behind the ice blue. It didn’t stop him from pressing on. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“As for having</span>
  <em>
    <span> whoever </span>
  </em>
  <span>you want, I’m sure that you’re aware of Raoul’s history, how can you be sure that you aren’t just another notch on his bedpost? What with being the school’s star Quidditch player, I’m sure he could have anyone he wanted with just as much ease,” Tom shrugged as he spoke, as though it were blatantly obvious. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora laughed again, but it was no longer light and airy, it had become rather shrill. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Please, I have that boy wrapped around my finger,” she rolled her eyes, breaking the stare they had maintained since he had arrived for the first time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As Tom opened his mouth to respond, he felt the bubbling begin again, his stomach growing hotter and hotter as Aurora’s narrowed, all traces of her shielding her emotions seemingly evaporating. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where is he now then?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was a cheap shot, and Tom knew Raoul would remain faithful, Tom had ordered him to, after all, but it could never hurt to place that shred of doubt in Aurora’s head. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Excuse me?” she looked only slightly taken aback, as a new wave of heat rolled through Tom.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He sighed, sounding exasperated as he replied,</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t act like an idiot, Rosier, I know that you heard me. I asked where the boy you have wrapped around your finger is right now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora’s eyes flared again, and her jaw clenched. Tom had intended to remain calm, but with every second he could feel himself reaching his boiling point, and decided there was no use in trying to hold back. If anything, it spurred him on, daring him to push her further and further.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know exactly where he is, he’s collecting my bag for me like the devoted pet he is,” she hissed, baring her teeth ever so slightly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom laughed once again, full of malice, whilst feigning checking his watch. “Ah, you see darling, I’m afraid it takes no more than fifteen minutes to get down to the dungeons and back up to the Library from the Great Hall, and he’s been gone twenty. How can you be sure he hasn’t suddenly grown bored of your harping and taken some other girl into one of the alcoves you too frequent so often.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora’s eyes only narrowed more, and the heatwave that hit Tom was enough to almost knock him off his rhythm. Still, he gripped his knee tighter and answered her unasked question as to how he knew about the alcoves.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You forget he’s my friend too, Aurora, I know all about your dalliances. Maybe you ought to keep a tighter leash on your pet”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was no lie there, Raoul had relished in relieving the stories of his and Aurora’s activities in the dorms at night. Well, on the nights that he hadn’t dragged her in after him before lazily throwing up a silencing charm that didn’t leave much to the imagination. Although he had used the word ‘friend’ rather loosely, which was what Aurora seemed to pick up on the most given the snort that left her then. Gods, one would almost think that a passerby could be mistaken into thinking there were two pigs sat at the table with how often one of them reacted in such a way.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I fail to see the relevance to your point,” she shook her head, sounding rather shrill, but Tom could hear the uncertainty threaded through her words. “And besides, you don’t have friends, do you? They call you ‘My Lord.’ If anything, you’re the stuck-up brat here. I may be conceited but at least I don’t have the girls address me as ‘My Lady.’” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, why don’t you?” he questioned, sounding quite serious, “everyone here calls you ‘the Princess’, asking them to address you as ‘Your Royal Highness’ would only make sense.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because I don’t need a title to assert my dominance over them,” Aurora spat, her lip curling viciously. It was cute that she thought his title was only in place for dominance over those three.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And you think that I do?” he spat back with equal ferocity.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Apart from being a swot, I don’t see anything particularly special about you that warrants making you a leader,” she remarked, casting her eyes up and down over him as though inspecting him for any of the qualities she deemed necessary to hold his title.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom exhaled slowly, mouth curling into a tight sneer before he spoke again, so quiet it was almost a whisper, but nothing could shake the weight of his question.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shall we ask Myrtle what she thinks?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora faltered, her eyes widening ever so slightly as she drew in a sharp breath at the mention of Myrtle. That seemed to be the very last thing she had thought him to use against her. The last time she mentioned her, Tom had literally thrown her against a wall, and he had just openly said her name in the school library. The heat in his stomach seemed to calm ever so slightly, coming down from boiling point to a light simmer. Tom’s smirk remained as she watched her form her response. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You can be a coward and still a killer,” she said when she finally spoke, her voice quiet as her eyes became less harsh but more searching, connecting with his the same way she had done the night she had asked him if Myrtle’s death was his doing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have twice the courage you’ll ever have,” Tom quipped as though it were obvious.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How very Gryffindor of you, are you sure you shouldn’t be sporting a red robe?” Aurora bit back. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Last I checked bravery wasn’t exactly on the criteria for ‘successful leaders,’” Tom sighed once again, feeling very much as though he had won this particular argument and not caring to take it much further. That didn’t stop him from wanting to end making it very clear he didn’t buy her harmless hexes and ultimately star student bullshit. “but at least I can admit to my crimes, I’m not sure I can say the same for you.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eyes no longer searching, and back to lit aflame, Aurora’s hand seemed to unconsciously raise to the centre of her chest, as though she had felt the need to protect something that wasn’t there, as it only hovered over her tie before dropping onto the table as she leaned forward, her piercing gaze doing nothing to derail Tom this time. Not even the searing heat that now licked up his spine could throw him off his course now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You have no idea what kind of fire you’re playing with, Riddle,” she sneered, her voice venomous and her eyes as feral as they had been before she had attacked Jenkins. Tom almost felt himself trying to slip into her mind again but thought the better of it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’ll find I do. Obliviating students was very much illegal last time I looked over magical law, but do let me know if I’m mistaken,” Tom smiled smugly as Aurora’s mouth, which had been opening to form a reply snapped shut, the fire in her eyes flickering ever so slightly. He knew he’d won this time. Merlin, she was pretty when she knew to keep her mouth shut.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Eyes are the window to the soul, Rosier. Didn’t think I’d have to be the one to remind you of that.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As if on cue perfectly on cue, the sound of light panting and heavy footfalls interrupted their silence as Raoul made his way around the bookshelf their table was sat behind. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry ‘Rora, got caught up behind a group of firsties who couldn’t navigate a staircase,” he smiled fondly down at Aurora, planting a kiss on top of her head as he dropped two bags down next to her chair.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom saw Aurora’s posture slacken ever so slightly at the contact, but her eyes only diverged from his for a moment to thank Raoul for her bag as he drew out his chair and made a start on unpacking all their research material.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He raised a questioning eyebrow as if to ask if she dared question Raoul’s excuse for being late. Was she that insecure about the status of her relationship? Tom could hardly say he’d expected that to be a weakness of hers he’d expected to pick up on today. Regardless, he’d still have plenty of fun exploiting that weakness as long as he required Raoul to keep her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She made no move to respond, instead, breaking their eye contact for the final time that day, but not before her eyes glazed over once more, the fire put out and her mind locked up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom’s hands unclasped from his knee, brushing gently across the arms of the chair before pushing himself to his feet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, are you leaving Riddle?” Raoul’s attention was drawn away from the essay in front of him as he looked up towards Tom, yet Aurora’s stayed fixed forward. Tom took that as a silent mark of defeat, regardless of her intentions. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, Lestrange. I was just going to head into the Restricted Section, get in some further reading as I’d mentioned earlier.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course, M–“ Tom’s eyes snapped to Raoul’s and his face hardened at the near slip-up. The boy seemed to wither ever so slightly at the intensity of his leader’s gaze, swallowing nervously. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course, Riddle,” Tom didn’t miss when Aurora’s eyes shifted towards Raoul as he corrected himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Quite. I won’t be too long, I trust I can leave my belongings here to remain untouched?” he asked coldly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Raoul swallowed once again, sensing Tom’s less than hidden irritation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, Riddle.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Excellent.” and with that, Tom turned on his heel and strode towards the great steel gate that split off the library.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Withdrawing the signed permission slip from the pocket of his robe, Tom held it to the lock, hearing the click that Slughorn’s signature activated. He’d never had a problem obtaining permission from the professor to access the school’s protected texts, all he’s ever had to say was that he was trying to develop a clearer understanding of magic that the basic books would not have afforded him. Slughorn ate it up every time, barely even casting a look over what he was signing as he raved about what a bright future Tom had in front of him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>If only he knew. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The gate swung closed behind Tom, and he walked briskly through the stacks, the air growing darker around him as he made his way deeper into the Restricted Section, knowing exactly where he was going.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Knights had been excellent sources of information, providing Tom with stacks upon stacks of contacts for future endeavours, but this particular research project had been Tom’s personal goal for almost a year now. His surprise when he had found out all the information he had needed was right there in the Hogwarts’ library all along had been immeasurable. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He reached the end of the stacks, casting a quick </span>
  <em>
    <span>Lumos </span>
  </em>
  <span>as he drew his wand along the spines of each tome and volume that filled the very darkest place of the Library. After only a couple of minutes, Tom came to a halt, his wand having landed on its desired destination. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Placing the yew between his teeth, both hands came up to steady the books on either side and long, delicate fingers slowly pulled a large, worn book from its place on the shelf. Dusting it off ever so slightly, Tom traced the embossed title, allowing each letter equal attention as he saw another piece fall right into place.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Secrets of the Darkest Arts </span>
  </em>
  <span>fell open in front of him.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I posted the notification on my Wattpad, but I'll be updating far less regularly for a few weeks, as I'm currently in the middle of a writing course that is taking up quite a lot of my time! Thank you to everyone for reading, and once again thank you to my lovely poppyflwrs for help with editing!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. A Slug Club Christmas Party</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>At the sound of Tom retreating towards the Restricted Section, Aurora heard Raoul exhale shakily. She had decided to ignore whatever had just happened between the two, it was clearly between leader and follower, and Aurora had no interest in getting herself caught up in any of Raoul’s private business, regardless of whether she agreed with it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>That and Tom had always been a subject Raoul had been reluctant to discuss, no matter when Aurora had tried to bring it up. It mildly annoyed her, to say the least, but if the relationship between the two boys was what she had assumed it was, she understood.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Look, ‘Rora,” Raoul began as he turned towards her, “there’s something I need to talk to you about.” His tone seemed sad, his eyes cast down as Aurora brought her full attention to him. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Salazar</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Aurora thought,</span>
  <em>
    <span> had Tom been right? Had he already grown bored? </span>
  </em>
  <span>The conversation they had had still fresh in her mind. She thought it would be an awful tragedy if she had to hex Raoul right her in a library open for anyone to see. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s just something that’s been on my mind for a while and I need to ask-” he drew in another breath and swallowed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora could hear the blood rushing in her ears as her hand found the hilt of her wand. She was going to hex him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Would you attend Slughorn’s Christmas Party with me?” Raoul’s eyes finally came up to meet hers, to be greeted by the last possible expression he had expected to see. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora’s face was one of utmost confusion, her mouth slightly open, brow furrowed and her wand clasped tightly in her hand on the table in front of her. Aurora realised his tone had not been sad, or regretful, but </span>
  <em>
    <span>nervous</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She tried her best to suppress the laugh that threatened to spill out of her, she did, but her efforts were in vain. Her face cracked into a wide grin as she almost doubled over on the table, her wand left forgotten as she clutched at her stomach with one hand, and wiping away the tears that had begun to form in the corners of her eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Raoul laughed lightly too, though Aurora realised it was more to try to alleviate his awkwardness over the situation, given that he had just asked his girlfriend to attend a party with him, only for her to go from irate to hysterical in a matter of seconds. She took a second to pace her breathing before drawing herself up again to meet his eye, her shoulders still shaking slightly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course, I’ll go with you, you idiot. Merlin you nearly gave me a heart attack I thought you were trying to break up with me.” she beamed at him, as he sighed in relief. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You nearly had a heart attack? ‘Rora I thought I was about to get stood up by my girlfriend!” exclaimed Raoul as Aurora continued to laugh at him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, well, I’m sure you’ll be glad to know that I don’t plan to break up with you any time soon, or letting </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> break up with</span>
  <em>
    <span> me</span>
  </em>
  <span> for that matter,” she huffed, picking up her wand and waving it aimlessly towards him, “and to avoid another situation like this, I would like to ask you to attend the Malfoy’s Christmas Ball with me.” Aurora finished, making it very clear it wasn’t a question. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Raoul looked rather exasperated at her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know I will, but you know it’s customary for a wizard to ask his witch, not the other way round,” he said as he reached for her chair, pulling it close enough to his own that their shoulders brushed, and his arm dropped around her shoulders. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora grinned up at him, pushing herself further into his side.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, but I think we’ve established I am a rather unconventional witch.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She pouted her lips ever so slightly, and Raoul getting her meaning, ducked his head down, pressing his lips against hers. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That, you are,” he mumbled against her mouth, and Aurora let herself laugh again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The last few weeks with Raoul had been undoubtedly the best of Aurora’s life. Coming almost out of nowhere, he made her feel special in a way she had never experienced before. Praise from teachers or her friends had been all well and good, but Raoul practically worshipped the ground she walked on. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora knew she could never be truly safe in the world, she had done and seen far too much to even fantasise of such a thing, but every time he kissed her, every time he ran his calloused fingers across her soft skin, it was enough for her to completely shut everything else out, feeling only the intense comfort her brought her. It was addictive. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And fuck Tom Riddle for even trying to challenge that. How dare he try to get her to question her boyfriend. How dare he try to make her think someone could take away the one thing that was now certain in her life, to suggest it could all fall away around her so quickly. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Yeah, and fuck you for letting him</span>
  </em>
  <span>, a small voice in the back of her head whispered. Aurora ignored it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>*</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The night of the Slug Club Christmas party Aurora found herself alone in the bathroom of her dorm. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She stared at herself in the mirror, eyes roaming over every part of her body, taking note of every imperfection she could find to eradicate them, a practice her mother had drilled into her from a young age. She started at her feet, clad in the high black sandals her aunt had given her for an event in the summer. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Slowly, her gaze shifted up, past her calves and up the hem of her skirt that hung around her knees. You could barely see the bruises there under her tights, so her eyes drifted further up still, satisfied that they were dealt with. She made a mental note to start utilising cushioning charms.</span>
</p><p>
  <span> Up past her hips that she had always been told by her mother were too wide, to her pinched waist that Thea had always said she would kill for. Unfortunately, unless she wanted to perform some serious glamour charms, those were two issues she could hardly rectify at this moment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Not that she had cared much what Gueneviere had to say about her figure, as always it had been a passing comment made one of the two times she had so graciously made time to entertain Aurora’s company that year.  Thea’s compliments always left her feeling slightly better than she had felt before. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The stark contrast between how she felt between two such closely linked elements of her anatomy was something Aurora tried her best to push as far down as she could. At least Raoul had never seen cause for complaint. Nor any other boy, for that matter. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eyes refocusing once again, she came to land on her chest was covered by the black silk of the dress she had chosen, hiding the pendant she kept so fervently hidden from the world. Even now, she’d cast a disillusionment charm over it, appearing to anyone other than herself to be a small emerald set in gold instead of the silver triangle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Passing down over her arms, she examined every small scar and mark, most of which she couldn’t even recall collecting, but had still marred her milky skin. They had been easy enough to lie away when she was younger, few enough that she could blame them on carelessness is potions or catching herself on rose bushes when in the gardens of her estate, but as she had grown and accumulated more, she had become more and more used to glamouring them each morning, one of the only useful things Olive had ever taught her to do.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As much as she trusted him, not even Raoul had been privy to the state of her arms. She wasn’t ashamed, if anything she was proud, she saw them as trophies if anything. So no, not ashamed, only the hesitance to admit where they’d come from. She could lie, but there were too many to warrant anything but the truth. Much the same, Raoul had also only ever seen the small emerald necklace.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her almost white-blonde hair hung around her face waiting to be charmed into place, yet not a perfectly curled strand fell out of place. Aurora picked her wand up off of the sink, casting the glamours over her scars, watching every imperfection cease to be as the magic washed over them, before touching it to the front of her hair, allowing it to wrap and coil itself into tight curls that sat atop her head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When the final strand of hair had secured itself, Aurora finally brought herself to look into her own eyes. As striking and blue as they had ever been, she let her mind wander back to Tom echoing her warning in the Library, as she had done so frequently over the last few days. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora knew anyone who knew what they were looking for would be able to look into her eyes and see her fractured soul, as it was not something easily hidden, but it took significant training to attain such an ability. An ability she was sure Tom could not have learnt Soul Spotting of all things in such a short space of time. He must have been trying to unsettle her, after all, that had seemed to be his goal that particular day. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Curious as to just how much difference it made, Aurora slowly built up her Occlumency walls, one layer at a time, and watched as her bright eyes slowly turned dull and unfeeling as she shut her mind away piece by piece until there was nothing left to see. When she was done, Aurora held her gaze for a few minutes, barely recognizing the person looking back at her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She saw black heels, but she couldn’t put her finger on where they were from. She saw tights, but wouldn’t be able to tell why they were there, the dress was long enough to not warrant it. She saw the subtle shimmer of magic across the arms of the girl in the mirror but had no idea why she would need to do such a thing. Aurora never occluded to this level, had always been told those who did often go mad. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She could see why. Aurora felt completely numb. she was pretty certain she wouldn’t even be able to tell someone her name had they asked her at that moment. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Only when the sound of someone rapping on the door to the bathroom danced through the surrounding air did she break the walls back down, every feeling and emotion slamming into her like a tsunami as she steadied herself on the sink for a moment, watching her eyes return to bright blue. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll be right out,” she called over her shoulder, picking up her wand and straightening herself out when she was sure she wouldn’t collapse, unnecessarily dusting out creases from her dress that weren’t there, before turning and walking out the small bathroom into the dorm. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>*</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well don’t you look </span>
  <em>
    <span>ravishing</span>
  </em>
  <span> tonight, Lady Rosier?” Raoul lowered himself into a mock bow as Aurora walked into the common room, grinning at her mischievously. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I thank you, Lord Lestrange, you don’t look half bad yourself.” Aurora winked at him, extending her hand for him to kiss her knuckles.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My love, you know I only get my title when my old man kicks the bucket.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I could say the same about my mother’s title being bestowed upon me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, but we both know you’re the most worthy Lady of the family already,” Raoul used her extended hand to draw her closer to him, kissing the top of her head in greeting as he had developed a habit for, “and I meant what I said, you look spectacular tonight.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I meant what I said as well, you don’t look half bad.” Raoul placed his hand against his chest in faux offence as Aurora’s jest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And he didn’t look half bad. Raoul was wearing deep green velvet dress robes, a charcoal waistcoat, and what looked like Dragon hide boots. Not to mention, he had paid attention to his hair for once, the black unruly curls sat on top of his head instead of hanging in his face for once. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He wasn’t alone, Arche and Abraxas were sat next to a fireplace drinking from a hip flask Aurora was certain contained Firewhiskey, and certain she would steal at some point in the evening. Both boys were dressed similarly to Raoul, sporting dress robes of one shade of green or another, and discussing what sounded like Arche’s shock at being invited to yet another of Slughorn’s parties.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“... I’m telling you Brax, the man’s only interested in my dad’s politics,” he snatched the flask from Abraxas and took a swig, “I barely even passed my Potions O.W.L., and he’s out here calling me a ‘prime example of an excellent student? Prime example of being born into the right bloody family more like.” he scoffed as everyone laughed at his ranting. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well that’s everyone, are we ready to leave?” Aurora clapped her hands together, drawing the attention back to her as she looked around expectantly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not quite, Tom said he’d be fifteen minutes about twenty minutes ago, so I’d say we only have another ten to wait.” Arche drawled. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora huffed, but her companions only laughed off her frustration, Dorea having joined Arche and Abraxas on the settees. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I suppose you two are going stag tonight?” She asked the two boys in an attempt to make conversation. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Black, I am greatly offended you think so lowly of me!” Arche exclaimed, his hand raising in mock offence much the same as Raoul had done as he lifted himself. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dorea just tilted her head forward, raising a single eyebrow at his theatrics waiting for her response. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah ok, I’m going stag.” he resigned, sinking back into the pillows.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And I felt it would be inappropriate to attend with a partner given, you know-” Abraxas gestured vaguely towards the girl’s dorm, his face slightly grim, much to the amusement of Aurora. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah, my poor Abraxas, I’m sure your pining future Lady Malfoy will be clamouring to attend events such as Slughorn’s Christmas party on your arm once your union has been announced,” Aurora said condescendingly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abraxas’s feature screwed up slightly at her comment. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you think?” he asked, sounding unsure.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Absolutely not, in fact, I’m pretty sure you’ll be at risk of being hexed the first time you even suggest to Thea that she spend more than her mandatory hours in the presence of Slughorn.” Dorea finished, as everyone except Abraxas burst into laughter once again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dorea was not wrong, Thea had assured them there was no love lost as she had fawned over the two girls getting ready that evening, despite Olive’s sulking. When Aurora had assured her she would receive an invitation to next year’s party with her new status as a future Malfoy, Thea had scoffed and said she’d rather clean every trophy in the Trophy Room with her spit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I’m glad you all find my situation funny.” Abraxas crossed his arms over his chest, fixing his eyes on the floor. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If you don’t laugh about it mate, then we will.” Raoul clapped his friend on the shoulder, only to be met with a scowl.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh yeah? You try being married off to someone who can’t stand you.” Abraxas’ tone was far snippier than normal, and Aurora sighed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She doesn’t dislike you, you stupid sod.” She snapped back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She was always rude to me when we used to play at the Manor.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, because you were seven.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What difference does it make?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Abraxas it was almost ten years ago!” Aurora’s voice was getting louder and louder, her tolerance for her friend’s whining rapidly decreasing, “Do you think she wants this any more than you do? No. You’re one of my oldest friends, but I’d suggest you pull your head out your arse and talk to her like the adults you’re expected to be to make this whole situation less torturous for all parties involved.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abraxas had fallen silent, no longer scowling but looking rather sheepish. Of course, it was Arche who then broke that silence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Damn, Princess has fangs,” he smirked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora flashed him a smile, making sure he could see her teeth. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Princess has always had fangs laced with venom, Arche, it would do you well to remember as such.” Arche only raised his hands to surrender, but not without wiggling his eyebrows suggestively towards Raoul. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How the fuck do you keep a reign over that one Lestrange?” Aurora scowled, answering herself before Raoul could even form a sentence. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He doesn’t, no one has a reign over me.” She puffed her chest up slightly as Raoul laughed quietly into the top of her head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is that so?” A voice came from behind them, drawing all attention towards the entrance to the Boy’s dorms.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom Riddle stood there, clad in all-black robes, black shirt and tie, looking expectantly towards Aurora for an answer. She didn’t even bother to entertain his question, rolling her eyes before turning back to the group.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, that’s everyone then, shall we?” She gestured towards the door, winding her arm through Raoul’s as they made their leave. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom had already got to the door by the time the rest had brushed themselves off, holding it open as each passed through. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Rosier,” he breathed out as Aurora passed him, though his eyes seemed to focus on the wall above her head. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Riddle,” she bit back, reminding herself that she had promised Raoul to be civil towards his friend.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Or his leader.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Or whatever the weird power dynamic they had going on. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora picked up her pace slightly, edging Raoul forward eager to create as much space between them and Tom as possible as they made their way towards the Greater Potions Lab, and planning to avoid him as much as humanly possible. She wanted to have a semi-decent evening, after all. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>*</span>
</p><p>
  <span>If you weren’t already familiar with the Greater Potions Lab, you probably wouldn’t have even known it was a classroom. Aurora had to commend Slughorn’s decorative eye.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The workbenches were nowhere to be seen, replaced with large circular tables covered in hor d’oeuvres and flutes of champagne. Great silver drapes hung from the ceiling, concealing the usual cold unforgiving stone of the dungeons behind layers and layers of fine shimmering silks, large poled wrapped in green ribbon placed strategically through the centre of the room to keep the drapes suspended. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Despite the general rule against House bias amongst teachers, it was clear Slughorn had felt no need to hide his obvious Slytherin pride that evening. He was Head of House, after all, Aurora supposed she couldn’t fault him for that. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The night had gone near enough seamlessly, Tom sensing Aurora’s disinterest in engaging with him, instead conversing with an older boy she recognised to be a Nott, whilst she and Raoul found themselves vehemently avoided Slughorn’s questions about their ‘union’ and his gushing of how strategic it was of them to unify two such prominent houses.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora had never taken a strong dislike to the red-nosed professor, she had just found over the years that she could only handle so many questions about her father’s role within the ministry before realising she wasn’t valued for her abilities, but her connections. However, the fact that all the other students in attendance were in a similar situation, doted on by Slughorn based purely on their family was a small comfort.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>All except one. Tom didn’t come from a wealthy Pureblood family. If she was being quite honest, Aurora didn’t even know if he was a Pureblood at all. He acted like one, that was for sure, his aristocratic presence trumping that of even Abraxas, and he was heir to the richest bloody family in all of Wizarding Britain. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And Slughorn was infatuated. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Raoul had had to stop himself from spitting his champagne up when Aurora had made a comment about not being sure of the morality behind being that far up one of his student’s arses, and that she was sure the governors would take issue with such teacher-student intimacy. Once he had recovered, Raoul had grinned and reminded Aurora it was the second time she had used the very unladylike phrase that evening and would be liable to give her mother a heart attack had she ever caught wind of such language exiting her daughter’s well trained mouth. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora had smirked back, noting that Gueneviere would only know if Raoul snitched, to which he assured her his lips were sealed. He had promptly </span>
  <em>
    <span>actually</span>
  </em>
  <span> spat out his champagne when Aurora expressed her dismay towards him losing the use of his mouth as her smirk turned incredibly suggestive, and incredibly unbecoming of a young lady in a public place. Gueneviere would be apoplectic. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Following the mandatory mingling between guests, the tables vanished only to be replaced with a huge phonograph in the far corner, slow music winding its way through the air. Attendees began to pair off, swaying in each other’s arms whilst murmuring to each other, occasionally swapping partners between friends. It was the same as every other gala or function she had to attend over the years.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After ten minutes of dancing with Raoul, Arche had approached and asked him if he could borrow his lady in exchange for a hip flask of Ogden’s Finest. Raoul had relented, but not before telling Arche he knew it was only Blishen’s and calling him a cheapskate. Aurora had laughed, snatching the hip flask from Raoul before he could so much as take a sip and talking a long drink for herself, relishing in the burning sensation running down her throat and into her stomach.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Next had come to Abraxas, who handed a rather put out looking Dorea over to Arche. Aurora didn’t fail to notice her friend staring longingly at the back of a boy with untamed black hair donning deep crimson velvet robes. It appeared Abraxas had noticed too, casting his eyes towards Aurora and nodding knowingly. They didn’t discuss it any further but were able to silently acknowledge that they had both realised Dorea’s attention had been reserved for some weeks now. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was hardly their place to interfere. They both knew that Cygnus Black II was a formidable man, but his wife Violetta even more so. Dorea would face enough trouble with her obvious pining for a Potter from her parents without a Rosier-Malfoy intervention as well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When her dance with Abraxas had come to an end, Aurora faced a string of other partners. They were mostly guests of Slughorn who, much the same as the professor, only quizzed her on Etienne’s Ministry business, pretending to not seem put out when she made it clear she had no intention of discussing anything of the sort. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A couple of students had followed, one being Nott, the same boy she had spotted talking to Riddle shortly after arrival, the other was one of the Black boys, although she had to admit she wasn’t sure if it was Cygnus or Orion. That family produced so many children it was quite hard to keep track. Much to her relief, Tom hadn’t asked her to dance, although she could have sworn she caught him glaring at her more than a few times throughout the evening.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As the night began to draw to a close, students and guests began filtering out of the dungeons. Dorea had left rather hastily around twenty minutes beforehand, suspiciously soon after Potter and a damn sight more giggly than normal. Aurora had spotted Raoul across the rapidly emptying room, catching his eye and motioning with her head towards the door, signalling she felt it time to leave. Raoul glanced nervously towards his company. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He stood with Arche, Abraxas, Tom and Slughorn, the former two engaged in conversation whilst the latter three stood listening in. Slughorn clapped Tom on the back, eliciting polite chortles from the four students before looking down at his wristwatch. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>With the room now empty save for Aurora and the men at the other end, she could hear the professor reminding Arche and Lestrange of the essay due the following day. The group had turned and began to walk towards Aurora, who stood expectantly, waiting for Raoul to take her arm and lead her back to the Common Room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When only three of the four boys left the side of Slughorn, Aurora had internally groaned, expecting to be told to wait for Riddle once again. To her surprised delight, Raoul informed her that Tom didn’t require them to wait, as he had wanted to discuss the subject of his further reading with his ‘mentor’ before he left. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As they turned to leave, however, Arche swaying slightly, undoubtedly from the flask of firewhiskey that had been long since finished, Aurora’s delight dissipated within almost an instant. She wasn’t sure if any of the boys had caught Riddle’s question to the professor, but his words made her blood run cold as she stepped into the dungeon corridor, reverberating around her head as she scrambled to make sense of how he would have come to know of such a thing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>–I was wondering what you could tell me about Horcruxes, sir?</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Hypothetical</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Slughorn’s eyes widened at the question, but Tom’s look of innocent schoolboy curiosity held strong as the professor tried to recover from his initial shock. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is this for a Defence Against the Dark Arts project, Tom?” he asked nervously, his sudden discomfort blatantly obvious. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom laughed, as though he were sharing a joke with a friend, and not discussing some of the darkest magic to ever be used. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No sir, I suppose it’s more extracurricular research. I often find myself quite ahead of my peers in class and need something now and then to keep myself busy whilst the other students catch up.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Slughorn considered Tom’s response for a moment, his mouth opening and closing like a fish whilst he formed an answer. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course, Tom,” he said nervously, “an exceptional wizard such as yourself needs to be satiated with knowledge, but this is very dark stuff, very dark indeed.” a shadow seemed to pass over the man’s face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Forgive me, sir, but what do you know of them? I think it’s no secret that you’re one of the few teachers in the school who understands me, and I had assumed that a great man such as yourself would have no qualms with helping a devoted student, such as myself, to grow their understanding of magic in all of its facets.” the professor flushed slightly with the flattery, and Tom knew he was about to get exactly what he wanted. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I suppose when you put it like that -” Slughorn turned slightly, walking towards the fireplace in the corner of the classroom, but continued to speak, “a Horcrux is an object that holds a part of a wizard’s soul,”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom already knew all of this but allowed the man to continue, better for him to assume he was completely naive to the subject, for fear of raising any suspicions. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“-the soul is split by an act of supreme evil, to take another’s life corrupts one beyond imagination. An incantation can then be performed, attaching that shard of one’s soul to an object for all eternity. Whilst the outcome is immortality, the price of creating a Horcrux on the witch or wizard’s magic is arguably not worth the effort. It stains you, hindering your ability to use Light magic over time.” Tom couldn’t see Slughorn’s face, but his tone was grim.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And the effect on the use of Dark magic, sir?” he pressed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Slughorn turned, but his eyes seemed keen to look anywhere other than Tom. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, some say it increases an ability to wield Dark magic tenfold,” he laughed lightly, trying to relive some of the tension that now sat heavily in the room, “but there has been no research on the topic for hundreds of years. You’d be hard-pressed to find a book even in the Restricted Section with much detail on the subject.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And didn’t Tom know it. He'd spent weeks looking for a book on Horcruxes in the library, only to find it and realise it told him no more than the professor already had. However, what Slughorn said next very much intrigued him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Would I be right in thinking you’ll be spending Christmas at the young Mr Malfoy’s estate?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Indeed, sir.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If I’m not mistaken, the Malfoy Library boasts one of the largest collections of texts on Dark magic in Europe. Septimus - his father, of course - has always been rather proud of the collection. May I suggest looking in there for your research?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom’s lip quirked. He had already been planning to look through Malfoy’s library over the holidays, but Slughorn’s suggestion reinforced Tom’s confidence in the usefulness of the stacks that waited at Malfoy Manor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you, sir. If you don’t mind me asking, I do have one more question.” Tom knew it was risky asking such a thing, but he was convinced Slughorn would drink up his lie about the research project. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course, my dear boy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How many Horcruxes is it possible to make? Seven is the most powerful number in magic, as we all know, would seven strengthen the magic within them?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Slughorn now did not attempt to hide his horror, his eyes almost bursting out the sockets as his face turned from red to purple. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Merlin’s beard, Tom! Killing one person does irretrievable damage as it is, but to kill </span>
  <em>
    <span>seven </span>
  </em>
  <span>people? You would be nothing but a shell of your former self! Assure me this is all purely hypothetical Tom? All for research?” he was almost pleading.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom smiled. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“All hypothetical, sir. I’ll be off now, I apologise for monopolising your time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Slughorn’s face returned to its normal cherry red, waving off Tom’s apology, but the fear hadn’t left his voice when he spoke again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s no trouble, Tom. Curiosity is natural, I just ask you to be careful, this is not a subject most wizards take lightly. I trust you to use this information responsibly?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom nodded in acknowledgement, which appeared to satisfy the professor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Very well, off to bed now, I would hate for you to oversleep and miss the train tomorrow. Have a Merry Christmas, Tom.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Merry Christmas, Professor.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom left the classroom, making his way to the Slytherin common room with a new plan forming in his head. He had a lot of work to do.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>*</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The train journey from Hogsmeade Station to Kings Cross was the same as ever, except Tom’s compartment was one person down, as was the girl’s according to Avery. As much as he knew he was to blame for Lestrange and Aurora’s inability to keep their hands to themselves for longer than an hour, it wasn’t going to stop him from getting incredibly frustrated every time the chit made him late for a meeting. No matter how profusely Lestrange apologised, Tom knew it was Aurora’s way of getting to him indirectly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cunning little witch.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They were almost halfway back to London by the time Lestrange stumbled through the door, his dark robes noticeably dishevelled. Tom barely paid him any mind, just gesturing towards the seat opposite himself, eager to get the discussion regarding the holidays over with.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The plan was rather simple. Tom and, much to his dismay, Aurora would spend the whole two weeks at Malfoy Manor. He had already questioned Abraxas on the library and had been told he could have full access whenever wanted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then, on Christmas Eve, the Malfoys would host the ball, and each boy would be assigned to certain witches or wizards, trying to establish their stances on Tom’s ideologies regarding a more harshly enforced hierarchy within the Wizarding World, without overtly asking, to establish the level of support he’d have access to. The only person who was being given leeway with this task was Abraxas, given that it was meant to be a celebration of his engagement.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Christmas Day with the Malfoys was an affair he had been promised would not disappoint. The days in between Christmas and New Years Eve he would spend in the library, keen to avoid the harpy that would now be swooping around the Manor also. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And finally, of course, there was New Year’s Eve. His birthday. Try as he might, Tom had not been able to shut down Avery’s insistence that the boys travelled back to the Manor to celebrate, given that it was his coming of age. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom usually hated his birthday, it was only ever a reminder of the day his mother had been weak enough to die, leaving him at the mercy of the muggles at the Orphanage. At least no one there ever bat an eyelid and his refusal to even acknowledge the day, something his magical counterparts could barely fathom.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But seventeen was different. Instead of a reminder of his confinement, it served as a marker of his freedom, now able to go and do as he pleased, at least within the laws of Wizards. Eventually, he agreed, but on the condition that it was only the boys in attendance. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Black and Selwyn were nice enough, but they seemed to be a package deal with Hornby. He would already have to put up with Aurora and really couldn’t deal with more than one banshee at a time. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was decided they would floo in the morning, school trunks in tow, and spend the day raiding Abraxas’ father’s Firewhiskey collection. They would then all depart from the Manor back to Kings Cross the next morning, and be on their way back to Hogwarts. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was a simple enough plan. It was only a Christmas holiday, Tom told himself, it was incredibly unlikely anything could go wrong, yet for some reason, he couldn’t quite shake the feeling of dread that grew stronger and stronger as the train drew closer to London. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>* </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Malfoys had hired one of the cars from the Ministry to take them from the station to Wiltshire. The Saloon car that had been waiting for them looked almost brand new, but the shrunken head that hung next to the driver dampened the charm of the otherwise very muggle looking vehicle. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The fact the interior looked more like that of a bus than a family car thanks to extension charms also contributed, but the shrunken head was slightly more distracting. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora spent the car journey tucked to the very back seat, pointedly staring out the window. When they had departed the train earlier, Malfoy had had to nearly drag her away from Lestrange. Once again, Tom knew she was only doing it to make him wait, but he had to admit her theatrical performance of a tortured soul forced to leave her lover had been impressive. Not to mention the amount of attention she had drawn. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As suspected, the moment they breached the barrier between Platform 9 ¾ and the muggle world, all traces of her tears from mere moments ago had gone, and she had returned to her usual bored sneer. After a few moments exposed to the volume of muggles though, her boredom had turned to blatant disgust, and she stormed towards the exit, dragging her trunk behind her, Malfoy sighing wearily before trailing after her with his own trunk in tow. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Only two weeks</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Tom thought as he took a deep breath, adjusting his sport coat, and followed the two towards the main exit. When he stepped out into London, he allowed himself to absorb the sights around him, trying to place any changes to surrounding buildings that had appeared since his last visit in September.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It had become a game for Tom since the muggles from Germany had begun to bomb England in his Third Year. He used to count each building still standing when he left each year, then upon his return would work out which had succumbed to the Blitz. Since the halt in the Luftwaffe’s attacks, the game had changed to guessing which buildings the muggles had considered important enough to resurrect, and which had been lost to the War. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As suspected, St Pancras Station across the bustling road stood proud once again, fully recovered from the bombing it had endured two years ago. The houses that had once stood nearby were conspicuously absent, the ground still bare. Tom supposed it would probably be turned into an office building. It was a stupid game, but it was a good brain teaser at the end of the day, so he continued to play. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he was satisfied with his observations, Tom made his way towards the car parked directly in front of the station entrance, the door held open by a slender Wizard in a plum Ministry trench coat and hat. He nodded to Tom as he climbed into the car, taking his trunk and closing the door behind him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom knew the Ministry had a fleet of muggle cars with extension charms applied, but ten rows of seats were somewhat excessive. Malfoy and Aurora were both staring out the windows, seemingly observing the still crumbling buildings of London as Tom had been doing moments ago. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They really are animals, aren’t they?” Malfoy remarked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom laughed darkly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You have no idea, a couple of years ago you couldn’t come into the city without risking being caught in a bombing. Almost all of London was destroyed.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Malfoy didn’t take his eyes off the scene now rolling past them as the car drove away from the Station.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is the first time I’ve been allowed in muggle London since they started killing each other. Father used to apparate directly to and from the platform, he said we'd be savaged by the muggles if we came any other way.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom saw Aurora’s brow furrow slightly at that. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I thought apparition was banned on the Station?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Perks of being Senior Advisor to the Minister, my dear.” He winked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After that, the three fell into a comfortable silence, Aurora retreating to the back of the car where she had now been lounging for the best part of two hours. Tom had buried himself in a book, searching for any mention he could find of Horcruxes, but was thus far unsuccessful. The prospect of getting to spend almost two weeks tucked away with a whole library at his disposal delighted him far more than he let on, especially given that delight wasn’t something he could normally even feel. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Therefore, when Malfoy announced their approach, Tom’s eyes drew quickly towards the Manor fast approaching in the distance. He knew the Malfoy family was rich, but the sheer enormity of the house was staggering. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Even in the dull light of a December afternoon, Malfoy Manor towered over the otherwise unassuming Wiltshire countryside. Easily matching the width of Buckingham Palace, with towers at even intervals across the front of the building, it looked more like a fortress than a family home. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The car passed straight through the front gate, which appeared to have turned to smoke as they approached, before hardening back into steel behind them. The driveway continued for several hundred more feet until they finally came to a stop just in front of an unforgiving dark marble portico.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The same wizard from earlier opened the door once again, allowing the three younger wizards out, nodding silently to each as their trunks disappeared from beside the car. Tom raised his eyebrow towards Malfoy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not sure how but it sends your belongings to your rooms, probably something to do with the house elves.” was all he offered, before lending his arm to Aurora, turning and making their way up the steps to the entrance of the Manor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom followed suit, his face relaxing into a polite smile as the great ebony doors swung open. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>*</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lord and Lady Malfoy were quite the sight to behold. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lord Malfoy looked almost identical to Abraxas, head tilted back ever so slightly as he observed his son and his two friends enter his house. Being a Malfoy, he had the signature platinum blond hair, although it was tied back at the base of his neck, unlike Abraxas who wore his loose at his shoulders. The most striking feature, however, was the cane he held at his side, a gilded silver snake with emeralds for eyes staring directly at Tom from the handle. He was exactly how Tom had imagined him to look.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lady Malfoy was not what Tom had expected, however. Much like her husband, she held herself proudly, but the searching coolness that Lord Malfoy displayed was nowhere to be seen, instead, she smiled warmly at the younger wizards, hands clasped in front of her deep blue robes. She too was blonde, but instead of the icy white her son had, it was darker and more golden, curled on top of her head the same way Aurora often wore hers. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As the doors swung closed behind them, she rushed forward, embracing her son tightly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh Abraxas, it never does get easier to send you off for months at a time.” she gushed as he laughed awkwardly, somewhat stifled by her hug.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mother you know Hogwarts is perfectly safe,” he said as she pulled back, her hands resting on his arms as she stared at his face as if she were checking for injuries. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know darling, it’s the train ride I worry about, you’ve seen what those cr-” she cut herself off, looking at Tom warily before Malfoy realised why she had stopped.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s fine, mother, he thinks the same.” she visibly exhaled before continuing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“-you’ve seen what those creatures have done to themselves, Merlin knows what I’d do if something happened to you if something happened when you’re passing through their world.” she smiled kindly, even though her words were far from it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was then Lord Malfoy finally spoke, his voice shockingly similar to Abraxas’ as well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Aurelia, he’s here in one piece, maybe you should introduce yourself to our guests you’ve been so looking forward to,” he suggested, but Tom could hear his teasing tone. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course,” she turned to Aurora first, embracing her similarly to the way she had Abraxas “it has been far too long, Aurora my dear,” she pulled back slightly, inspecting her as well, “and may I say, your hair is blonde enough to compete with Abraxas these days, I still remember when it was almost black.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora smiled at the woman, laughing lightly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s good to see you too, Lady Malfoy, and according to my father, my hair started to change about the same time I started showing magic. He liked to say that I changed through sheer willpower to look nothing like Gueneviere.” that elicited a deep chuckle from Lord Malfoy and a slightly disapproving if not humoured look from the Lady, Tom assumed there was a joke he was missing out on. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ever the charmer, Miss Rosier,” the Malfoy patriarch stepped forward, taking the hand his wife had just released and kissing Aurora’s knuckles, “how your mother managed to produce a daughter quite literally her antithesis I will never know.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora snorted, “Lord Malfoy, you know what she’s like, it’s quite difficult to not detest the woman and want to put as much distance as possible between you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah I’m afraid I’ve learnt too well to never speak ill of a woman,” he smiled at his wife who looked as though she were holding back laughter at the exchange, so instead cleared her throat and turned to Tom. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And Tom, I’m afraid that I’ve not had the pleasure of meeting you yet, I must admit when Abraxas owled me to say we’d have a guest I was very excited, I’m quite the host. I’m Aurelia Malfoy, and this is my husband, Septimus.” she gestured towards the Lord.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom kissed her offered hand, as was expected in Pureblood customs. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A pleasure to meet you, Lady Malfoy, thank you for inviting me into your home.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Please, call me Aurelia, that goes for you too, Aurora, there's no point using titles in my own house.” she waved off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mr Riddle, is it?” Septimus asked, shaking Tom’s hand firmly, “I can’t say I’ve heard of that family before, are they foreign?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom swore he could see Aurora’s eyes narrowed towards him, as the lie he had perfected so many years ago rolled off his tongue. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, actually. The Riddles were a very reclusive family in Ireland and believed in home education to shield from muggles, but my mother pushed for me to attend Hogwarts. Unfortunately, a nasty Dragon Pox infection broke out only a few years ago, claiming the remaining family members and left me the sole heir. I do however have a benefactor who was kind enough to take me in, only asking me to keep his identity confidential. You know how some wizards are about privacy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Strictly speaking, it wasn’t a complete lie, there was fact woven into his fiction, but Tom was yet to meet a wizard who hadn’t lapped up the lie. It appeared Septimus Malfoy was no different. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course, of course, it is truly such a shame to see so many Pureblood families going extinct these days. A good friend of mine published a book a few years ago, The Pureblood Directory, can you believe there are only twenty-eight noble houses still standing in England?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It is rather shocking sir. I’m not sure what Abraxas has told you, but I myself am very passionate about maintaining Wizarding society effectively, and believe that only the purest among us are capable of such a thing. We allow those of muggle descent places of power and it derails all that it means to be a Pureblood. I think there needs to be reform within the ministry, and people like you are the ones who will be able to get the cogs moving.” Tom finished his pitch, watching carefully for Septimus’s reaction. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurelia looked impressed, her eyebrows slightly raised at the sixteen-year-old in front of her, who knew exactly what he wanted and had just pitched it very well tom someone so senior. Abraxas looked more cautious, his eyes darting back and forth between his father and Tom, trying to gauge the situation. Finally, Aurora had her arms crossed in front of her, her head tilted ever so slightly as she regarded him, looking as though she were actually processing what he had just said, instead of rolling her eyes and huffing. Septimus’s lip quirked up. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think you and I will get along finely, Mr Riddle.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Don't Say It</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hey! A couple of days ago I did change my pseudo from dracomalfoyapplekink to switchbladebarbie! As much as I loved my old name, I saw no point in having it related to a character I currently don't write for!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The first few days at Malfoy Manor for Aurora were bittersweet. Whilst the family were the perfect hosts, Aurelia immediately taking to another female presence and insisting Aurora accompany her on all shopping trips and help to finalise every last detail for the ball (much to Abraxas’s relief), she couldn’t help but long to be with her aunt in Austria.</p><p>Much like France, the estate in Austria felt like home to Aurora, more so than the Rosier Manor ever had. More than once, she had found herself lost in thought, fiddling idly with her necklace. It hadn’t warmed against her chest in months. Not since she’d obliviated Potter. </p><p>Aurelia seemed to have noticed her drifting off now and then, but had assumed it was only her missing Raoul that was causing her down mood. She would smile kindly, and reminisce on the holidays she used to spend apart from Septimus when they were younger, in a means of comfort. Even though they had been an arranged marriage, Aurelia always said she counted herself lucky they were able to fall in love. </p><p>She never said anything explicitly, but Aurora could tell Abraxas’s contract with Thea wasn’t best-loved by the Malfoy matriarch. She’d mentioned once or twice over afternoon tea that she didn’t feel it was the best thing for Abraxas, but Septimus had insisted that it was Malfoy tradition for the heir to be formally engaged by their seventeenth birthday, and she’d begrudgingly accepted it. </p><p>The soon-to-be fiancé in question appeared to also feel anything but positive about his situation. Aurora barely saw Abraxas for the first couple of days at the Manor. When he wasn’t with his father and Tom in the Gentlemen’s rooms, he was tucking into a corner of their vast library with the latter, somehow looking even paler than usual. </p><p>Aurelia has said it was normal, just pre-engagement announcement nerves, but she didn’t seem convinced by even her own words, chewing at her lower lip after she spoke. He hadn’t openly complained since Aurora had snapped at him before Slughorn’s party, but it was obvious he was still equally if not more troubled by it. </p><p>She had felt slightly guilting for raising her voice at him, but it was part of his responsibility as a wizarding heir. The other boys would be in the same position at some point, it just so happened his was sooner rather than later. Arche would have less pressure on his shoulders, given he had an older brother and was not the first Avery heir, but Aurora knew deep down that it was only a matter of time before the subject was breached with Raoul. </p><p>Much like Abraxas, he was a sole heir to an ancient family, and he’d already mentioned his father’s growing restlessness with no prospective wives for his son. It was because of this their relationship had not been mentioned to him, but she would be attending tomorrow’s ball with Raoul, and there would be no more hiding. </p><p>It would kill Aurora to have to turn down the contract, but she already had an agreement elsewhere. One that would not be in her best interest to breach, and marrying the Lestrange heir may as well be her signing her death warrant. </p><p>It wasn’t even something she could talk to him about. How would that conversation even go? <em> Hello darling, I haven’t even told you that I love you yet because I’m afraid to then have to tell you that this relationship can only feasibly last another year and a half, or I’ll end up dead, probably with my body left for you to find on your front porch.    </em></p><p>Was it selfish for Aurora to keep such a thing from him? To let him escort her to high profile events, meet his father and keep him out of the hands of every other eligible witch in England, even when she knew she could offer him nothing else? Maybe it was, but maybe it was for the best.</p><p>Ultimately, Aurora was a killer. She was broken, her soul tainted from the moment she had first let that incantation slip past her lips. Raoul was not. He was kind and gentle, with a stellar career in front of him in Quidditch. Entering a marriage contract with him, even if it were possible for her, would destroy that. The moment they bound their magic, he would be just as tainted, just as damaged, and she could never do that to him. </p><p>Instead, she would continue to smile, hang onto him for a little longer, and try and ignore the inevitable break up she would have to facilitate. After all, she had a ball to attend. </p><p>*</p><p>Raoul had arrived at the Manor an hour earlier than all the other guests, eager to present Aurora with her Christmas present. He had found her in her guest room, sat at the large vanity just staring at her reflection. She was grateful she hadn’t been occluded at that moment, something she had started to do more frequently, despite knowing it was a bad idea. </p><p>The small pockets of numbness she could throw herself into were becoming sacred when she started feeling too much. Turning everything off had become easier.</p><p>She had thrown herself into his arms, every ounce of guilt she had been harbouring over her actions dissipating the moment he had walked into her room. She just wanted to enjoy the one good thing in her life at that moment, and it was obvious he wanted the same thing. </p><p>“I’ve missed you so much, Rory,” he whispered into her hair. </p><p>Aurora pulled back slightly, eyebrow arching playfully.</p><p>“Rory?”</p><p>“Everyone else calls you ‘Rora, I wanted something that’s just for me,” he smiled, pulling her back into his chest.</p><p>“I like it,” she mumbled into his chest.</p><p>They stayed like that for a long while, and Aurora wanted nothing more than to just blow off the whole event and spend the evening alone with him, pretending once again that her life wasn’t quite as doomed as it was. Raoul ended up being the first person to pull away, chuckling at her disgruntled huff.</p><p>“As much as I’d like to only be with you tonight, you know both Malfoy and Selwyn would have our heads if we left them with Avery and Horby.”</p><p>Aurora sighed, crossing her arms over her chest and perching on the end of the canopy bed. </p><p>“Neither of them was this marriage at all, do they?”</p><p>Raoul sat down next to her, his arm looping around her waist as she let her head drop onto his shoulder. </p><p>“No, I don’t think they do. But I think they know they have to. Malfoy hasn’t referred to it as anything other than a familial obligation since the contract was first signed. Even I thought they’d find a way to make it work, but it’s hard to fall in love when your heart already belongs to someone else.”</p><p>Aurora’s eyes widened.</p><p>“You don’t mean–”</p><p>“I had told Malfoy I wouldn’t say anything,” Raoul chewed the inside of his lip, “I’m not even meant to know, I kind of walked in on it.”</p><p>“I–wow–” Aurora scrambled for the right words, given what Raoul had just told her, ”It’s not a mudblood is it? That isn’t why it's a secret?”</p><p>Raoul looked affronted at such an idea.</p><p>“Merlin, no, I would have been forced to say something if that was the case.”</p><p>“Does Thea know?”</p><p>“I’m not sure, I doubt it, it’s–um–a tricky conversation to have with your future wife, I think.”</p><p>Aurora would have said that was an understatement. Her head dropped from his shoulder into her own hands and she groaned</p><p>“Merlin, this ball is going to be a fucking nightmare.”</p><p>“Hey, hey, hey,” he said, his hand moving from her waist to rub small circles against her back, “we’ll make the best of it, okay?”</p><p>She lifted her head slightly, eyes meeting his. Raoul cleared his throat, reaching into his robes.</p><p>“Anyway, I came here to give you your present and it appears we’ve become distracted,” he said, removing a small box, and Aurora felt her heart pounding in her chest, “I’m sure you know what my father will be expecting to happen after tonight, but I don’t think I’m ready for it yet, and I’m not sure you are either,” she drew in a sharp breath, knowing exactly what he was referring to, every fear she’d had about tonight slowly materialising in front of her as he slowly opened the box, “but I think that this will hold him off.”</p><p>Aurora gasped at the small signet ring she was presented with. </p><p>“Salazar, Raoul, is that–”</p><p>“My mother’s signet ring.” </p><p>It was silver, with the Lestrange family crest engraved and the two stars set with small diamonds. </p><p>“It was hers until she, well, you know…”</p><p>Aurora couldn’t remember the last time she had cried, but even now she could feel her eyes begin to sting with the tears threatening to overspill. Raoul’s mother had died when he was four, and to think he wanted her to have something so special, when she knew this couldn’t last, felt even worse than being presented with the contract there and then.  </p><p>“I can’t accept this, its-its too much, my love.” she protested, trying to push the box away, but Raoul caught her hand, his free hand removing the ring from the box and pushing it gently onto her pinky finger.</p><p>“You can, and you will. If my father sees you wearing this, he’ll know I’m in it for the long run, and won’t push anything onto you or your family. You’re so very special to me, and I’ve meant to tell you for a while, but I-”</p><p><em> Don’t you dare say it </em>. Aurora didn’t let him finish. She couldn’t face it. Instead, she grabbed the side of her face, pulling him forward and crashing their lips together, letting the kiss say everything she couldn’t say out loud. Couldn’t bring herself to hear him say either.</p><p>Raoul was more than willing to comply, scooping her into his lap, his hand tangling his hand into her hair and tugging lightly, eliciting a sharp moan from the back of her throat. He laughed against her mouth, his tongue pushing past her slightly parted lips–</p><p>A loud rapping on the door caused them to jump apart, no sooner had Aurora stood up to hastily brush out her dress and Raoul adjust the front of his robes did Tom Riddle’s head appear from the now open door. His eyes scanned over the two of them, one eyebrow raised over so slightly as Raoul stared intently at the floor and Aurora scowled at him.</p><p>“It appears as though I’m interrupting,” he stated simply.</p><p>“I’d say that was a fair fucking observation, Riddle,” she hissed back.</p><p>Completely unaffected by her hostility, he continued. </p><p>“Lord and Lady Malfoy would like us downstairs in five minutes. Selwyn just arrived, I thought you’d like to greet her, Rosier, but it seems you were rather preoccupied,” he smirked. </p><p>Aurora smiled but made it obvious her expression harboured no goodwill.</p><p>“I’d suggest you close that door right now Riddle, or one might almost take you for a bit of a voyeur.” </p><p>The smirk dropped right off of Tom’s face, and Aurora felt a surge of victory wash over her.</p><p>“Downstairs in five minutes.” he drew his head back and slammed the door behind him. </p><p>“I’m going to fucking kill that bastard one day. Ignores me the whole time we’re here and <em> that's </em> the first time he decides to talk to me?” </p><p>Raoul stood up slowly, a small smile dancing across his face.</p><p>“And there's my vicious little princess back.” he offered his arm out to her, signifying that it was time for them to leave. </p><p>“Princess does have fangs.” she reminded him, taking his arm and letting him lead her towards the door.</p><p>“Princess sure does.”</p><p>*</p><p>When Aurelia had told Tom on the first day of arrival at the Manor that she was quite the host, she hadn’t been joking. The place had been completely transformed. </p><p>The Malfoy Christmas ball was one of the most prestigious events of the Wizarding World’s social calendar, with hundreds of guests attending from every corner of the world. Septimus had invited Ministers from no less than fifteen countries to attend that year, as well as the entire Wizengamot.</p><p>The Greater Ballroom had been covered floor to ceiling in silver drapes similar to those Slughorn had used at his party, but instead of hanging stationary, they seemed to move of their own accord, looking almost water-like as they twisted and swept past each other against the ornate walls. The giant crystal chandeliers had been charmed to glow with blue flames for the evening, and snow fell gently from the ceiling, disappearing a foot or so above the heads of the ever-growing crowd. </p><p>Aurora stared out over the room from the top of the viewing balcony, spotting several of her fellow students amongst the crows, as well as a few of the foreign Ministers of Magic. She had been more than relieved to learn the day before that the French Minister had contacted Septimus apologising profusely that he would be unable to attend due to a problem that had arisen in a neighbouring country, and was expected to lend his support over the next week. </p><p>She felt Raoul squeeze her hand gently, silently asking if she was ready to make their entrance. Taking a deep breath, she straightened her spine and drew her shoulders back, head tilted up ever so slightly, the way every Pureblood girl had been taught to do as a child when presenting themselves. Raoul followed suit, dropping one arm to his side and the other stiffened beneath Aurora’s hand and it snaked around his bicep. </p><p>As they strode down the staircase, every eye in the room seemed to draw towards them. Aurelia had warned her that the absence of the Rosier family at such events had become somewhat of a joke amongst certain families, and to expect the shock from a select few of the aristocrats in attendance. </p><p>She had hardly been wrong as the whispers from the crowd washed over Aurora the closer they got.</p><p>
  <em> “...that’s the Rosier girl...” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “...you don’t mean Etienne’s girl?...” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “...with the Lestrange boy, no less…” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “...a mighty fine pair…” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “...Lestrange did an excellent job getting that one…” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “...there’s been rumours about her…” </em>
</p><p>“It’s exhausting, isn’t it?” Thea’s voice pulled her back into reality, “what's the point of throwing a party in our honour if all we’re allowed to do is greet people?”</p><p>The brunette was waiting at the bottom of the staircase, arm looped through Abraxas’, a large emerald ring on full display. Both were smiling, but neither smiles met their eyes. Draped in black, the pair looked more like they were attending a funeral rather than an engagement party, let alone their own. </p><p>“Quite an event you have here, Selwyn,” Raoul said, shaking Abraxas’ hand and kissing Thea’s knuckles. </p><p>Thea snorted, looking over her shoulder to check no one was looking at her as she leaned in closer to the other couple. </p><p>“I am about one old wizard trying to get slightly too handsy with me in front of my fiance away from setting something on fire and escaping amidst the panic.”</p><p>Aurora laughed, kissing her friend once on each cheek, before moving to do the same to Abraxas. </p><p>“Let me know just before it happens, I’d quite like to join your great escape plan.” she heard a shocked gasp from beside her as she pulled away from Abraxas, turning to see an ancient witch looking quite scandalised at the nerve of her to kiss the fiance. Aurora shot her a scathing glare before turning back, her three companions looking as though they wanted to scorn her for already being confrontational barely minutes after entering the party.</p><p>“What? Imagine the old bint's face if she knew I’d been staying here this whole time without Thea, she’d probably have a stroke.” Thea’s face cracked into a grin at that. </p><p>“Has anyone ever told you how incredibly facetious you can be sometimes, ‘Rora?”</p><p>“It was one of Gueneviere’s favourite words for me actually, along with arrogant, spoilt and wayward.”</p><p>Abraxas sniggered, clapping Raoul on the back.</p><p>“Why don’t you two go and get some socialising in before your girlfriend tries to challenge one of Mother’s friends to a duel, Lestrange?” the three laughed at Aurora’s scowl as Raoul began to walk away, manoeuvring the two of them through the crowd.</p><p>“I could beat any of them with my eyes closed and wandless,” she murmured.</p><p>“I have no doubts about that, my love, but if we could keep the casualties to a minimum I’m sure Lady Malfoy would be grateful.”</p><p>“I’m not promising anything.” Raoul didn’t respond to her last comment, as they had come to stop next to a small group.</p><p>Tom was standing with the Nott boy from the year above, and an older man whom Aurora assumed was his father. Aurora felt her face settle into an impassive smile.</p><p>“Ah, Lestrange, Rosier,” Tom greeted, eyes flicking over the two of them with something cold, “you’re both acquainted with Theodore Nott, may I introduce you to his father?”</p><p>Aurora cast her gaze over the man. He was shorter than both Tom and Raoul, salt and pepper hair combed back over his head and a heavy handlebar moustache. </p><p>“Mr Lestrange, a pleasure to meet you,” he shook Raoul’s hand firmly, and only once before his eyes came to rest hungrily over Aurora, “and do you care to introduce us to this lovely little lady?”</p><p>The question implied that Raoul would introduce her, but Aurora refused to be treated as an accessory to be paraded around, and Raoul knew this, so made no move to speak. </p><p>“Aurora Rosier,” she said, extending her hand to him. He looked only momentarily taken aback before he took it, bringing it to his mouth, eyes never leaving hers. Aurora knew it was a power play, an attempt to get her to look away first to establish dominance over a silly little witch, but she relented, not to be intimidated by a wizard she had never met before. </p><p>After a solid ten seconds of silence, it appeared that Lord Nott had received the message loud and clear, dropping her hand and straightening out his robe. </p><p>“Etienne’s daughter I assume?” she nodded once, “Interesting, I can see now why your father has been swatting away all those betrothal offers,” he waved his hand towards Raoul, “Merlin knows I tried to get something sorted for Theo over here.” he chortled as though he had just told the funniest joke her could think of.</p><p>Aurora felt her blood boil, and her whole body stiffened. Raoul must have felt the change, as he started to slowly rub his thumb across her knuckles, a wordless warning to keep her temper under control. </p><p>“I think you’ll find that the <em> batting away </em>, as you so put it, of marriage contacts had nothing to do with Raoul. My father simply knows better than to meddle with my personal life.” she bit out, thoroughly enjoying the looks of surprise on the senior Nott at being addressed with such attitude, “but don’t let such trivial matters interrupt your conversation, me and Raoul only wished to join.”</p><p>His eyes narrowed towards her, but she refused to wither. </p><p>“I’m unsure this is a conversation fit for a lady, Miss Rosier.”</p><p>“I’m quite sure I’ll manage.”</p><p>“<em> Rosier </em>,” Aurora whipped her head towards Tom, who looked as though he were biting his tongue as if he were in pain, “I was just discussing the state of Pureblood lineages with Lord Nott here, I’m sure you’ve heard of the Pureblood Directory, yes?” he didn’t wait for a response, “His father was the one to publish it, and he was just telling me about the rates at which the twenty-eight families are diminishing, as Lord Malfoy had mentioned.”</p><p>Aurora nodded, not wanting to care but feeling slightly curious as to why Tom was so interested in the topic. Lord Nott cleared his throat, looking sceptically towards her. </p><p>“Yes, well, as I was saying to Mr Riddle, blood curses amongst Pureblood witches are becoming more and more prevalent, causing the number of miscarriages, stillbirths and even the witches dying in childbirth to increase exponentially.” Raoul’s eyes flicked up to the ceiling momentarily, and Aurora tucked herself tighter into his side, “this is why so many families are only producing one heir. There's barely enough worthy witches to wed anymore with the hopes of keeping the lines completely pure. I count myself quite lucky I managed to obtain the Carrow girl for Theodore. Some are not so lucky, turning to half-bloods for breeding purposes. Some families, of course, still refuse outright to sully themselves. Just before you joined us, I was about to mention one of those families in particular.” </p><p>“Please, do continue, Lord Nott.” Tom pressed, his eyes greedy. </p><p>“The Gaunts,” Aurora saw flames roar in Tom’s eyes now, “weird bunch, they are. I can never recall the names, Marvin, maybe? Him and his son and a daughter. The daughter passed away a good number of years ago Mar- Merlin was what his name?...”</p><p>Gaunt? She recognised the name, but couldn’t quite place where from. She didn’t think she’d ever met them, but something told her they were more than just a reclusive Wizarding family. </p><p>“...Marvolo! That’s the bastard! Followed the girl out of this life not long after. They’d set themselves so far apart from society that very few even know where they were. According to Ministry records the son is still going, but the lad’s been in and out of Azkaban so often for terrorising muggles that I doubt he’s able to string a coherent thought together anymore, let alone sire a new heir. You’re all aware that certain families resort to, ah, slightly closer than favourable relations to maintain blood purity,” Aurora held back a laugh at the blatant disregard for inbreeding within wizards, “but the Gaunts were fanatics. Couple of them were products of siblings if you buy into such Ministry gossip.”</p><p>Aurora took a moment to digest what she had just been told, trying to not display her disgust so obviously on her face. Tom, however, only looked more interested than before. </p><p>“You say very few knew where they were, is it on any Ministry record? Only from the perspective of the Ministry keeping track of the remaining pure families. ”</p><p>Lord Nott seemed to consider Tom for a moment before answering. </p><p>“Auror named Bob Ogden visited the family a few years ago, to arrest the son. I can’t recall where he went, but if I‘m not mistaken Odgen is here tonight. I suggest asking him directly.” </p><p>He paused momentarily, and Aurora’s eye flicked between the two men, trying to decipher what either felt towards the other.</p><p>“You don’t like to miss any details, do you, Mr Riddle?” Nott asked finally.</p><p>Tom's face formed that incredibly vexing smile she had seen him use to charm every other person he’d ever met, and it took all Aurora had to not roll her eyes. </p><p>“It can never hurt to be fully informed on a subject matter quite as important as this, Lord Nott,” he said, bowing his head ever so slightly. </p><p>Lord Nott chortled, raising the glass of Firewhiskey in his hand in salute, his son who had thus far remained silent following suit. </p><p>“I can see why Theodore has spoken so highly of you, Mr Riddle. My condolences, by the way, about your family, devoting your life to making sure the rest of us never die out similarly is admirable,” he leant in towards Tom, his voice quieter, but still only just audible to Aurora about the murmur of the crowd, “rest assured I will be willing to support you in any way I can.”</p><p>Tom nodded. </p><p>“Thank you for your time tonight, I’ll be sure to seek out Odgen later in the evening. Now, I’ll let you get back to your mingling.” Lord Nott extended his hand to Tom, who accepted the handshake. Following, he shook Raoul’s hand once again, and kissed Aurora’s knuckles with narrowed eyes, before guiding himself and his son towards a large group of Wizengamot members. </p><p>“Understand what needs to be done, Lestrange?” Tom asked, his eyes still focused on the back of the Notts. Aurora looked between the two, eyebrow arched waiting for an explanation as to what was needed of her boyfriend. No explanation came. </p><p>“Yes, my lord,” Raoul muttered, and Aurora huffed at the ridiculous moniker. </p><p>“Good. Find Avery, and send him my way. We’ll reconvene at the end of the evening. Now,” he finally returned his gaze to them, adjusting the cufflinks on his oxford, “I have an Auror to find. Lestrange, Rosier.” he stalked off into the crowd. </p><p>“Come on, I need some form of Firewhiskey,” Aurora said, dragging Raoul towards the table of refreshments. </p><p>“I couldn’t agree more,” he complied. </p><p>*</p><p>A few hours and several shots of Firewhiskey later, Aurora was seriously glad she hadn’t promised to refrain from cursing any of the society women in attendance. She couldn’t go longer than five minutes without hearing one asking another where her mother was, and harping on about ‘<em> just how similar they look, I must owl Gueneviere! </em>’. Raoul had had to physically stop her from reaching for her wand at one point when she’d overheard one call her too pale and sickly looking. </p><p>But the women were the very least of Aurora’s troubles that night. The attitudes of some of the wizards she had had the displeasure of meeting throughout the evening made Lord Nott look like a raving feminist. No less than four men had refused to even acknowledge her presence, only talking to Raoul and ignoring everything she had tried to say. The only positive she could even attempt to draw was that she had had more time to listen to what Raoul was saying, trying to figure out what Tom had set him up to do. </p><p>There has been a pattern forming with the conversations, always starting with the usual greetings and pleasantries, followed the same old drivel about politics and asking after the Wizengamot’s latest bill, and then Raoul would begin to lament the rapid loss of the ‘old ways’ of the Wizarding World, but never going into specifics. If the wizard he was speaking to brushed off the comment, Raoul would remain civil, but rap up the conversation not long after, moving onto the next.</p><p>However, if they showed equal bereavement, he would suggest it due to a certain group of people, letting them bring up muggles and mudbloods of their own volition, with only a little coercion. It was all too precise to not have been planned, and Aurora knew it was Riddle’s working. It was too subtle, too manipulative, and Tom all over. </p><p>She just couldn’t figure out what it was all for. </p><p>Arche had appeared not long after Aurora and Raoul had left Tom at the beginning of the evening, a glass tumbler in his hand with Olive and a sullen-looking Dorea at his side. Raoul had mentioned that Tom was looking for him, and he had shot off suspiciously quick in search of him. When he had returned, he hadn’t lingered for long before engaging another old wizard in a conversation similar to every other Aurora would end up observing that evening. As far as she was aware, Arche had been the final person to see Tom, who had all but disappeared from the crowd not long after the party had begun.</p><p>Unfortunately, it had taken roughly five minutes of being in Olive’s presence after Arche had left and Raoul had been roped into a conversation nearby for Aurora to wish Thea wasn’t still stuck at the entrance greeting guests at that moment to reign the girl in, her sour mood threatening to overspill. Dorea didn’t look much better, picking at her nails and barely engaging in the meaningless chatter. </p><p>It didn’t take long for her to figure out what was wrong, the Potters were hardly ever invited to social events, and the occasional glance her friend was casting over the crowd suggested she was looking for someone she knew wasn’t there. That, and she had been left to chaperone Olive, which was enough to make anyone surly. But despite Dorea’s melancholy, Aurora couldn’t help but be selfishly glad there was one less family she had a rather unfavourable attachment to in attendance. </p><p>Since then, Aurora had refused to leave Raoul’s side, putting up with all the stuffy Ministry men in favour of having to deal with Olive. After she had found the pattern she needed in his conversations, she had largely zoned out, but not enough to not notice how jittery her boyfriend had become the closer the clock ticked to midnight, his fingers brushing over the ring on her little finger more and more frequently.</p><p>By the very end of the evening, just when Aurora was about ready to set fire to the next person to come even slightly too close to her and Raoul had started shifting his weight front left to right, his finger stroking a continuous pattern over her hand as he spoke to yet another man who was paying no mind to her. It was then Septimus Malfoy’s voice broke through the hum of conversation, drawing all attention to a raised stage in the middle of the room. </p><p>“Good evening all!” he said, the words echoing around the ballroom, “may I take a moment to thank you all for joining us tonight to celebrate the union of my son and his future wife…”</p><p>“Always loves the chance to give a speech, does Septimus,” a gravelly voice next to Aurora’s ear whispered.</p><p>She felt Raoul tense completely next to her, and she looked over her shoulder to see a yet middle-aged wizard, but with very familiar dark curls, smirking at her. </p><p>“I was wondering when I’d see you tonight, Raoul. I almost thought you were avoiding me,” he remarked, eyebrows raising slightly.</p><p>“Father.” Raoul bit out.</p><p><em> Oh for fuck’s sake </em>, Aurora thought, feeling her stomach drop as she realised why Raoul had been so on edge the whole evening - he’d been avoiding Lord Lestrange. </p><p>“Now imagine my surprise when I arrived this evening, only to hear that my son is in attendance with a young lady, a Rosier no less, who happens to be wearing the Lestrange insignia on her finger.” His voice was low enough that Aurora severely doubted that anyone standing nearby would have been able to hear over the sound of Septimus’s voice, but remained very much audible to the intended audience. </p><p>Raoul offered no response, not even looking in his father’s direction. Lord Lestrange turned his eyes to Aurora, the only one of the pair prepared to meet his gaze. </p><p>“Forgive me, my dear, but I’m not sure I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting you, I’ve heard through the grapevine your father is rather protective of you. But I can only assume I’ll be receiving an OWL from Lord Rosier any day now with a marriage contract? It is of course custom for the groom’s family to extend the first offer, but it seems my son has taken somewhat of a<em> disregard for tradition” </em>he drew out his words, and Aurora could hear Raoul’s teeth grinding as he kept his face locked forward towards the stage, “As the well-groomed Pureblood you are, I assume you recognise the significance of gifting a family heirloom, Miss Rosier?” he was practically leaning on her now, and she could feel his breath against the side of her face. </p><p>Abraxas was on stage now with Thea a few steps behind him, but Aurora’s only focus was on Raoul’s father who seemed hellbent on drawing some sort of reaction from at least one of them. In the middle of a host’s speech, no less. Talk about the disregard for tradition. </p><p>“Betrothals are of no interest to me at this time, Lord Lestrange. Raoul knows this, hence why you were unaware of our courtship. As for my father, I would hardly call him protective. He just knows better than to force me into a contract without me knowing.” he voice was barely a whisper, but venom dripped from every word. </p><p>He gave a suppressed laugh, masked by the small smattering of applause from the rest of the room directed at the stage where Septimus was still talking. </p><p>“I’d heard you were a bold one, Miss Rosier. It’s no matter, they eventually learn to fall in line,” he had directed the latter at Raoul, whose anger was just about rolling off him in waves, even if he was trying to conceal it.</p><p>Lord Lestrange sighed.</p><p>“But I shall concede for now. That ring with my family crest may as well be a wedding band, there is no reason to sign a document when Raoul has well enough already sealed the deal himself.” It took all she had to not attempt to gouge out the wizard’s eyes as his lip curled cruelly. </p><p>“Just something to think on. I’ve taken up enough of your time this evening, Miss Rosier. I suppose I’ll see you at home later, son, unless you have more plans you had conveniently forgotten to mention?” Raoul remained silent, “very well. Good night to you both.” </p><p>And with that, Lord Lestrange was gone, disappearing into the throngs of people around them. She had known that this evening would be difficult, but she had never expected it to be this awful. Aurora had grown complacent in her place at the top of Hogwarts pecking order, where she had asserted herself as the apex predator, but out in English Wizarding Society, she was just another little girl for the wizards to throw around as they wished.</p><p>She wanted to watch them all burn. </p><p>They remained in place until Septimus was done speaking, but neither was listening. The moment he finite’d the sonorus and bid the crowd good night, Raoul grabbed Aurora’s hand and dragged her through the nearest door, not caring who or what he hit on the way past. </p><p>She would apologise to Thea and Abraxas for not seeking them out often the speeches had finished, Merlin knew they didn’t need to be congratulated by one more person that evening. She’d see Arche in a few days, and Olive and Dorea at school, so no need for goodbyes there. All that mattered to her right now was letting Raoul find an empty, unlocked parlour in the corridor they found themselves running down. </p><p>Luckily for her, it didn’t take long. He threw the door open, pushing Aurora into the small room before slamming it behind him. She barely had time to think before her back was against the wall and Raoul had descended upon her his face millimetres away from hers. </p><p>“I believe we have some unfinished business to attend to?”</p><p>Aurora heard the blood rush through her ears as she closed the space, hands snaking around his neck and pulling him flush against her. The usual softness she had grown so used to from him was missing, replaced with needy desperation as his hands gripped her hips, keeping her pinned against the wall. His mouth was on hers, wasting no time in parting her lips and letting his tongue swirl against hers, picking right up from where they had left earlier. </p><p>Aurora groaned, her hands bunching in the fabric of his robes at the base of his neck, gasping as he nipped at her lower lip. He momentarily broke the kiss, and her swollen lips stung in the cool air at the sudden loss of contact. </p><p>Tilting his head slightly, Raoul began to pepper kisses along her jaw and down her neck, talking in broken mumbled phrases between each one.</p><p>“...that bastard…how dare he…best bloody thing to happen to me… perfect…so fucking perfect…”</p><p>His mouth found her pulse point, sucking lightly on the skin before tracing over it with his tongue and causing Aurora’s back to arch off the wall, eviscerating any space they had left between them. His hands shifted from her hips to the back of her thighs, picking her up with ease, and depositing her on the chaise in the centre of the room.</p><p>He drew back, staring at her through half-lidded eyes.</p><p>“Is this ok?” he panted. </p><p>She nodded, and he was back on her in an instant. Aurora could barely process what happened next, every nerve in her body felt like it was on fire and every single sense seemed to blend into one of complete and utter pleasure. </p><p>All that existed to her at that moment was Raoul, the way his skin felt pressed against hers, his mutterings of sweet nothings in her ear as he pushed her closer and closer to the edge, and how she fell right over top with her, the air around them buzzing, locking them in their world. Nothing else mattered. Not the party, not Raoul’s father, not the impending doom the relationship was headed for. </p><p>It was nice to pretend, even if it was just for a moment, that everything was ok. Aurora did that a lot, pretending everything was perfect, that the world wasn’t crumbling at her feet and there was nothing she could do about it. Some days she relished in it, others she locked away the feelings, but she would never accept it. She doubted anyone could if they lived their whole lives knowing they were destined for ruin. </p><p>She did not attempt to leave Raoul that evening, dreading the moment he would have to go, and the illusion of perfection would be broken. When it eventually came, the clock on the table next to them reading 11:58 pm, he pushed himself up, gathering up his clothes that lay discarded on the floor, haphazardly buttoning up his oxford and shrugging his robe onto his shoulders. Aurora reluctantly pulled her dress back over her head, not bothering to do it up properly. She’d get back up to her room through the back corridors of the manor to avoid any lingering guests.</p><p>At 11:59 pm, Raoul pulled her back into his embrace, silently running his hands through her now ruined curls. He started to push back ever so slightly, but she only nestled her face further into his chest. </p><p>“Come on, I have to go Rory, I’ll owl you in the morning.” he crooned, but she only hummed in response. </p><p>“I had something to tell you earlier, but someone cut me off-” Aurora froze, her eyes shot open and she reared back in his arms, inhaling sharply. Her reaction hadn’t deterred him. </p><p>
  <em> Don’t say it. </em>
</p><p>“-I’ve tried to tell you before, but something always happens to stop it, the moment is never right, but I have to tell you or I fear I’ll go mad-” Aurora was suddenly very aware of the clock ticking, counting down to the moment of reckoning.</p><p>
  <em> Tick, tick, tick. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Don’t say it. </em>
</p><p>“-so here I g<em> o </em>-”</p><p>
  <em> Tick, tick, tick. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Don’t say it. </em>
</p><p>He pulled her back forward, and she accepted his efforts. She couldn’t delay it anymore. It was going to happen eventually, and apparently, the time had come. His chin came to rest on top of her head, and she tried to steady her breathing as best she could. </p><p>
  <em> Tick, tick, tick. </em>
</p><p>12:00am </p><p>
  <em> Please don’t say it. </em>
</p><p>“Merry Christmas, Aurora Rosier. I love you.”</p><p>*</p><p>Aurora couldn’t remember the last time she cried, but as she stood in the small parlour in the east wing of Malfoy Manor on Christmas Day, watching Raoul walk out the door, she was almost certain she felt the tears from earlier spilling over, running down her cheeks as she felt the chasm in her heart deepen.</p><p>For Merlin’s sake, she had taken lives and barely batted an eyelid, but those people were nameless, faceless strangers. This was someone she knew. Someone who <em> loved </em> her. She would be doing him a far bigger disservice than offering him the mercy of death. </p><p>She decided then she would do anything she could to weaken the blow when she was forced to break his heart. </p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>   </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Once again, thank you to poppyflwrs for helping to edit this chapter! As always, any comments and kudos are very much appreciated :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Truce</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>As far as Tom was concerned, the Christmas Eve ball had been a smashing success. Not only had he received overwhelming support for his views on hierarchy within Wizarding society, but he had picked up a few additional tidbits from a rather intoxicated Bob Ogden. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Little Hangleton sounded like quite the quaint little town. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Granted, he had left fairly early on in the evening, preferring the quiet of the library over the jostling crowds, but that’s why he had followers. To do all the small, mundane jobs he didn’t want to do himself. Instead, he had flung himself straight back into his research, finding out everything he possibly could about the quiet little muggle village that had thus far hidden the only other descendants of Salazar Slytherin. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And he was grateful he had decided to leave when he had. From the moment Aurora had joined his conversation with Lord Nott, Tom’s blood had been white-hot, searing through his veins as the anger he only ever felt around her slowly crept through his body. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He had almost convinced himself that his recent bursts of anger had nothing to do with her, even after the incident in the Transfiguration, he had spent hours trying to rationalise it in his head. The theory of conditioning had been thrown out the window, but it was far too muggle anyway. Aurora was by no means a creature of the light, she must have been playing a cruel joke on him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He had read up on the use of Occlumency and Legilimency for torture, finding evidence of its use dating back hundreds of years. Yet nothing seemed to match up to his description perfectly. Implanting false emotions was possible, but to maintain them at a distance and wordless, let alone wandlessly was far more advanced than any sixteen-year-old should be able to manage. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>No. It had nothing to do with her. The more he brooded over the subject, the more power allowing her to exert over him. Tom bowed to no one, especially not Aurora Rosier.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>*</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Much like his birthday, Christmas had never been something Tom had looked forward to particularly. Christmas Day at the orphanage consisted of being given presents of socks and toothbrushes donated by the local community and a sub-par roast dinner, fashioned with what the cooks were allocated with the strict rations enforced. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Christmas Day at the Manor was, quite frankly, incredibly overwhelming. He still received socks, but they weren’t cheap, flimsy things that wore through within a month of wearing them, they were thick Merino wool. Aurelia Malfoy had spent an outrageous amount of money on gifts, stating firmly that no one left a Malfoy Christmas without being thoroughly spoilt. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When Abraxas had reminded her over breakfast that they were almost considered adults and no longer small children who </span>
  <em>
    <span>needed</span>
  </em>
  <span> to be spoilt, she had waved him off, saying she wanted to make sure her guests had the full experience before throwing another gift at him. He didn’t complain much after that.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tom had tried to tell the Malfoy Matriarch that access to the library was a gift enough for him, but much like Abraxas, he had been silenced with another neatly wrapped present. By the time the house elves had cleared the table, he had obtained two new sets of robes, an incredibly expensive-looking Eagle feather quill, a first edition copy of the Pureblood Directory (with a note from Septimus reaffirming his support) and his wool socks. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He hadn’t received anything from the orphanage, but he hardly cared. He doubted they would have even been able to post anything to the Manor given the extensive muggle-repellant charms that surround the whole estate, and it would only have meant another lie he would have to weave about who was sending him gifts. It had been easy enough to just say him and the fake benefactor had agreed that hospitality was Tom’s year-round gift and that it made Christmas redundant. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>However, he wasn’t the only one that morning who hadn’t been sent something from outside the Manor. The moment Aurora had walked into breakfast that morning, she had looked horrific. Her feet dragged along the floor, and her under eyes were a deep purple. She must have not slept at all, and Tom couldn’t help but wonder if Raoul was still lurking in her room. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She had graciously accepted all her presents from the Malfoys, receiving a similar haul to him, only instead of socks, she had a pair of black cashmere gloves. The only other gift she opened was from her father, a simple silver bracelet with a brief note apologising for not being able to see her over the holiday. Her mother had neglected to send anything.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She had half-heartedly laughed it off, trading snide comments about the woman with Septimus whilst Aurelia at least tried to look disapproving, the same way she had done the first time Aurora had spoken ill of her mother at the Manor, yet not doing much to allow her own opinions on the Rosier matriarch to go unheard. But Tom didn’t miss the way Aurora’s eyes would drift towards the window occasionally as though she were waiting for an owl to swoop in any minute. It wasn’t sadness on her face, but disappointment. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tom knew all about familial disappointment.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>No. He was not going to sympathise with her or relate to her. He had no interest in her personally, he wasn’t going through the trouble of drawing her closer into his ranks out of the goodness of his heart. He only wanted her mind, and he would do good to remember as much.   </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As would Raoul for that matter. He had watched the boy slowly become putty in Aurora’s fingers, yet whenever questioned would claim it was only an act, that she had no real control and he knew it was for a greater purpose. It was funny, Tom didn’t know presenting a signet ring to a significant other was such a meaningless gesture. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yet something had shifted with her since the start of the holiday. Tom only saw her briefly in the days leading up to Christmas. He had been so consumed by research he had barely left the library, relying on the house elves to deliver lunch and dinner directly to him instead of joining the others. The times he did see her however, she hadn’t sneered or muttered strings of insults under her breath. It was like she didn’t have the energy to speak to him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>In fact, the first time they had spoken was the night before when he had walked in on the rather compromising scene between her and Raoul, only for her to try to bite his head off. Although he supposed it was somewhat justified. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Needless to say, his surprise when she had waltzed into the library late in the evening on Christmas day had been insurmountable. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was almost midnight, Aurelia having retired to bed just after dinner and Septimus having taken Abraxas off to his study again. The library had been silent save for the sound of the fire smouldering nearby. The click of the lock and approaching footsteps drew his attention immediately.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lost, Rosier?” he asked lazily, looking up from behind the book he had been scanning in one of the wing back armchairs next to the hearth. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She didn’t answer immediately, her fingers trailing absentmindedly across the spines of the books along the shelves, getting closer and closer to him. The usual conviction she brought to the air around her was missing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I suppose you could say that.” she sighed when she finally reached him, taking the armchair opposite and grabbing one of the many volumes Tom had stacked on the table in front of him, flicking through the pages examining the content.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Meaning?” he asked impatiently. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She ignored the question, having stopped on a page and begun to trace the lines with a fingertip, eyebrows raising when she realised what he’d been reading.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Soul magic?” she didn’t sound shocked or horrified, but inquisitive, maybe even impressed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tom smirked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Extracurricular reading.” he offered.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Aurora snorted, but he noticed it didn’t hold half her usual snark. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Liar.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I suppose you could say that.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Aurora looked up from the book, exhaling deeply before closing it and crossing her hands over her lap. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Despite what you may believe, Riddle, I didn’t come here to argue with you, so if you could stop trying to pick a fight I would be incredibly grateful.” her tongue darted out to wet her bottom lip as she waited for his reply. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Slightly taken aback, Tom leant back into the armchair, closing his book and tossing it back into the pile on the table. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why exactly are you here then? You’ve made your feelings towards me quite plain the last few months Rosier. In fact, I remember quite clearly you calling me a petulant child. Why would I be willing to be civil?” he challenged.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You called me a whore. Yet here I am, willing to be </span>
  <em>
    <span>civil</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” she retorted. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her overall demeanour was lacklustre, no malice in her words. After studying her for a few moments, Tom decided to believe her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Touché,” he conceded and saw her shoulders relax ever so slightly. Now </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span> was incredibly strange. The last word Tom would have ever used to describe Aurora around him was relaxed. Still, her body held some tension and he wanted to know why.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Would you like to tell me why you’re really here Rosier? Forgive me, but I struggle to see you extending an olive branch out of kindness alone.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I want to know why every conversation Raoul had last night sounded like he was possessed by your spirit. I want to know why you’re so intent on forming hierarchy in our world that you’d get yourself a band of minions for research purposes.” her tone was harder now, she knew exactly what she was asking. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why though? Are you scandalised by my ideas? Shocked, even, that I think we should for mudbloods and muggles into subservience?” He knew his attempt at baiting her was futile, but it was fun nonetheless. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You know full well that I’d have no issue with that aspect of your ideas. I only want to know what my boyfriend has got himself caught up in, and-” she took a deep breath, and Tom felt himself lean forward ever so slightly, anticipating her next words, “-I’m rather interested in them myself.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tom felt a smile creep over his face. Oh, this was fantastic. This was fucking brilliant. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you saying you’d like to join my little group of minions?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She grimaced. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And prance around calling you ‘</span>
  <em>
    <span>my lord</span>
  </em>
  <span>’,” Merlin, she needed to stop saying it like that, “absolutely not. Think of me as more of a collaborator.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tom regarded her again, considering her offer. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And what makes you think I’d want a collaborator? I think I’ve done rather splendidly on my own thus far.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m pained to agree,” she nodded, “but controlling a small group of students is one thing. Controlling an army outside is completely different.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What makes you qualified to help with an army, Rosier?” Tom asked irritably, unnerved by her nonchalance. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The side of her mouth turned up as she fiddled with the silver chain around her neck, twisting the pendant between her fingers. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You ask a lot of questions.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You provide very few answers.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Have you asked </span>
  <em>
    <span>yourself</span>
  </em>
  <span> why that may be?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>You have no idea.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Aurora’s hand dropped from her chest and she straightened herself up slightly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You asked why I was here. I’m here to offer a truce. You’ve spent days locked up here, and I can’t help but feel you need some assistance with research,” she gestured towards the unsteady tower of books he had amassed, “Therefore, I am willing to offer my services for the last week in the Manor to help. Are you willing to accept?” she extended her pale hand for him to shake.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tom looked down, the Lestrange signet ring glistening in the dull glow of the fire, then back up at her face. It was blank and remained so even as he took her hand in his own. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“A truce?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“A truce.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They shook once, and the air around them seemed to hum. He could feel the magic thrumming through his veins even as she took her hand back, leaving the library without a backwards look.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Merlin, she was something else.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>*</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>If he was being honest, Tom hadn’t expected Aurora to take as much of an interest as she actually had into his plans. Boxing day morning, he had made his way down to the library at 6 am, expecting the door to be locked and the room to be in darkness. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Instead, it was slightly ajar, the fire roaring and illuminating the small figure sat leaning against the armchair of the floor. Tom stood for a moment, watching her slowly turn the pages of the book she held in her lap. Hair hung limply around her face, obscuring it from his vision and she was wrapped in a dark nightgown. Far from her usual picture of sophistication. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His approach didn’t falter her attention, she didn’t even acknowledge him until he’d sat down. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re planning to make a Horcrux, aren’t you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tom froze, panic beginning to creep its way across his shoulders. She hadn't looked up from the book, and her voice had been completely neutral, as though merely asking how his morning was. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What is it to you?” he inwardly cringed at how defensive he had sounded, not at all soothed by the sympathetic smile she fixed him with when she finally put the book down.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I overheard you talking to Slughorn after his party,” she confessed, “that, and the sheer number of Soul Magic books you have here was enough for me to put two and two together.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tom didn’t say anything, his body still stuck in place as the blood rushed past his ears. She sighed, tossing the book to one side and pushing herself to her feet. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Besides, you’re looking in the wrong place.” That was enough to shock him back to reality. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Excuse me?” he asked, incredulous.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, all of those books are about soul bonds and soul magic, which leads me to assume there's a ‘Soul’ section in these stacks that you’ve been using, no?” she was making her way towards the corner of the library, candles flickering to life as she passed them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Clearly,” he drawled. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Then you were looking in the wrong place,” she stated, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, “Horcruxes are technically soul magic, however, to be truly classified as soul magic, the purpose of the spell needs to be rooted in good. It’s why there’s so much discourse surrounding bonds and soul rituals,” she paused until the end of the cases, pushing herself up onto her toes to reach an ancient-looking tome on an uppermost shelf. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Satisfied with her find, she made her way back towards Tom, dropping the book in front of him before resuming her place on the floor.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Whilst they’re often used in a dark context, the intent behind them is often to protect or save, putting them in a morally grey area. Horcruxes, however, are inherently evil. There's no way to make a Horcrux without killing someone, and for that reason, they are classified as dark. If I remember rightly, that book has everything you’ll need to know. Including the incantation.” she smiled again. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tom’s eyes widened in disbelief as he looked at the dusty leather-bound book,</span>
  <em>
    <span> Malevolent Magicks: Most Foul and Evil </span>
  </em>
  <span>glaring up at him in gold outline. He immediately cracked it open, eyes scanning the contents, the skipping through to the pages of interest. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Fucking Merlin, she had been right. Everything he had needed to know was right there in front of him. He looked up, his face painted with disbelief. She looked only slightly smug. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How did you know this would be in here?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“There was a copy in the Rosier library a few years ago. It vanished after one summer, and I only assumed it had been shipped off to one of the larger, more protected family collections. If it was anywhere, it would have been here or the Black estate.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She stared at the book a moment longer before chuckling. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s safe to say my nighttime reading as a child was less than conventional.” with that, she scooped up the book she had abandoned on the floor next to her, immersing herself.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tom didn’t press any further, only interested in the book that now sat open in front of him. The day passed in a flash, the house elves coming and going with food for breakfast and lunch. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Early afternoon, Abraxas had joined them, engaging in a hushed conversation with Aurora before settling into silence too, his own book propped in his hands. Tom continued to reread the pages on Horcruxes over and over, not being convinced he had fully taken in all the information until he could recite the incantation from memory. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The delivery of dinner came and went, Abraxas leaving them not long after for the nightly meetings his father had been conducting, teaching him how to manage an estate in preparation for him becoming the next Lord Malfoy.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Before he knew it, the clock above the now smouldering fire ticked closer and closer towards midnight, and Aurora too was making her move to leave. Tom looked up from the passage he had been reciting in his head, taking in the deep purple under her eyes that had only darkened since yesterday morning, and the wince of effort it took to push herself up.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was so much mystery surrounding the girl. She was an enigma, impossible to figure out and unwilling to divulge anything. Yet she had helped him today, evening going as far as to mention her childhood, something Tom had deduced was something of a sore spot for her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And she knew about his interest in Horcruxes, had worked out one of his most prized secrets for herself. It put him at a disadvantage, but it was only fair he received something equal in return. She had been uncharacteristically open, and Tom saw no reason to not try and push her a little bit further. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>By the time he decided to at least try, she was already halfway to the door. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Rosier.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She stopped, looking over her shoulder but not turning herself to fully face him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I just wanted to say I appreciate your help today. However, this is rather sensitive information, and I believe it would be understandable for me to-” Tom didn’t even finish his sentence.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Want a secret for a secret?” she said, and he could see the small smile forming on her face. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He should have said no. Said that he wanted her to swear to secrecy, even make an unbreakable vow. But who was he to deny her secrets? So he played along.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Quite. I’m sure you understand where I’m coming from.” he closed </span>
  <em>
    <span>Malevolent Magicks</span>
  </em>
  <span>, sitting back into his chair, studying Aurora’s form for any sign of a negative reaction. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She stood in place for several long seconds, before deciding to walk back to the sitting area, perching herself on the armchair she had been leant against all day. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course. You think I know more about you than you about me, and therefore I’ll use it to blackmail you, despite the face I called a truce, am I correct?” he nodded in agreement, watching her mouth twitch ever so slightly in amusement, “I suppose I owe you a secret then Riddle?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tom could hardly believe her compliance, and couldn’t help but feel slightly wary of it, coming from someone who had appeared to hate him up until twenty-four hours ago. Merlin, she was unsettling. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I suppose you do. What would you like to tell me?” he asked, watching her tongue wet her lower lip again before drawing it back with her teeth. He had noticed her do it several times since last night, always when she was reading a particularly long passage or asking an important question. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You always have so many questions, surely you have something specific in mind. For all you know, I could tell you my favourite colour and walk out,” she said teasingly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She wasn’t wrong, Tom had hundreds of questions. Yet he could only ask one. He mentally ran through his list, filtering out the irrelevant ones, or ones he doubted she would answer honestly, despite the agreement. He narrowed them down one by one until he landed on the perfect question for this evening. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Something he wasn’t sure even existed, but all the signs were there. Worst case scenario, she would stare at him, very confused, for a few seconds before he brushed it off and moved onto his next question under the guise of messing with her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Your necklace. What does it mean?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The look of surprise on her face was enough to confirm his suspicions. Her finger traced along the base of her neck, extracting a chain from beneath her robe. Silver, instead of the gold he was accustomed to, and with a triangular charm, rested right where she often placed a protective hand. She looked down at the necklace, before looking back up at Tom, still smiling, but eyes narrowed ever so slightly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Clever. How did you know?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>One of the most obvious things about Aurora was the way her hand always drew up to her chest when she was immersed in something, resting just above her sternum and roughly where a pendant would hang. Of course, he’d seen her wearing necklaces before, but there was always something off about them. They shone unnaturally, reflecting light that wasn’t there. It wasn’t a simple spot, but Tom knew a glamour charm when he saw one. She was hiding something. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Call it intuition.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Liar.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He smirked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you going to answer the question or not?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She took the pendant in her hand, holding it up so she could see it more clearly in the low light of the library. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s the symbol of the Deathly Hallows.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tom’s brow furrowed as he leant forward, examining the small triangle, noticing the even smaller circle and line that sat within it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Deathly Hallows?” he inquired.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m afraid you’ve used up all of your questions for today, Riddle.” Aurora replied, tucking the necklaced back into her robe much to his dismay, “maybe if you spill more of your secrets for me tomorrow, I might consider satiating you.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She stood up once again, smoothing out creases from her robes that didn’t exist and signalling that she was done for the day. Tom’s eyebrow arched ever so slightly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And what makes you think I’ll let you in on any more of my </span>
  <em>
    <span>secrets</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Rosier?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Aurora considered him for a moment, her eyes boring into his with an intensity he’d never known anyone else to possess. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Call it intuition,” she smiled wickedly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tom sighed, “You are possibly one of the most infuriating people I have ever had the misfortune to meet.” he said flatly, not wanting to accept defeat but not wishing to ruin the momentary peace between them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Strange, I could say the same thing about you. Goodnight, Riddle,”  her tone was final as she turned and walked back towards the door, her hair tossed over her shoulder robe billowing behind her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Even after he retired to bed himself well after midnight, all Tom could do was wonder what would come of the next day, tossing and turning until sleep finally consumed him </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>*</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That next morning, Tom found Aurora in the same position as the day before. Curled up on the floor by the fire with a book already open in her lap, under eyes dark and hair unkempt. Only this time, she didn’t look up, didn’t make any attempt to speak with him, just continued to read her book as though he wasn’t even there.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So Tom sat down quietly, picking up his book from where he left it yesterday. They sat like that for hours, once again having each meal appear at a certain hour before being whisked away, Abraxas joining briefly and leaving when he was summoned, the silence almost companionable. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Almost. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was dark before either even made an attempt to speak, the fire once again having been reduced to embers that barely provided enough light to see the other’s face. In the end, it was Aurora who broke the silence. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Have you thought of your next question yet?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tom looked down at her. She had tidied her book away, her legs crossed over each other as she stared intently up at him from her position on the floor. Her eyes seemed brighter tonight, as though there was a light on this evening that had been previously extinguished. She seemed more alive. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I can only assume you have chosen yours?” he replied coolly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Aurora huffed indignantly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You can never answer a fucking question straight can you?” her arms crossed over her chest in annoyance, eliciting a deep chuckle from Tom. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You have quite the mouth on you, don’t you Rosier?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You aren’t the first person to say that,” she smirked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tom’s face scrunched up ever so slightly at her innuendo.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t be so crass, it’s unbecoming.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Aurora threw her head back with laughter, sighing deeply and making it clear she found his attempted insult more entertaining than anything.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Merlin, you sound like my mother.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll take that as an insult.” it was a justified conclusion, given the way he’d observed Aurora talk about her mother recently.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The worst,” she confirmed, still smirking, “anyway, you’ve taken us off track. Are you going to answer a question for me tonight or not?” her playful tone disappeared, replaced with one of complete seriousness. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t see why not,” he replied, rolling his shoulders back to release any tension he was unconsciously holding. She mirrored his movement until both were sat as relaxed as they could manage.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lovely. Why are you so interested in the Gaunt Family?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tom contemplated lying for a brief moment, telling her that it was just a name he had heard on the grapevine and was interested in knowing more about. However, this was Aurora Rosier, and he highly doubted his lie would slip past her once again. Every time he’d recounted the story of the tragic dragon pox epidemic in Ireland, she had glared at him, assumingly knowing it was bullshit. The boys all knew, what harm could come from one more, especially when he was getting something in return?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“My mother was a Gaunt.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Aurora gaped at him. Her mouth formed a small ‘o’, the disbelief written plainly across her face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You can’t be serious? I thought Lord Nott said the last female Gaunt died years ago?” her hands uncrossed from her chest, and she pushed herself into a more upright sitting position.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She did, in childbirth. Almost seventeen years ago, for that matter.” he returned monotonously. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Aurora sat silently for a moment, processing what she had just been told. Tom couldn’t help but smirk as he watched the cogs in her head turning, working towards a response for his confession</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The Gaunts were descended from Slytherin.” she eventually said.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tom nodded in approval.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You would be correct, yes”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was silence once again. The disbelief slowly ebbed away, and she began to subtly nod her head as if she were having a silent conversation in her head and agreeing with one of her own points.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Huh. I suppose I see it now.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tom’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“See what exactly?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Your want for a purer Wizarding society? It’s what drove Salazar apart from the other founders. It only makes sense that you would want to fulfil his wishes.” she shrugged.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And do you think I could do it?” he questioned, trying to read the now completely neutral expression on her face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She shrugged again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t see why not.” she looked down to her hand, examining her nails as if the conversation bored her, “From what I’ve seen you have support for the cause already, there's no reason why you shouldn’t be able to make your way into the Wizengamot to make those changes in the laws.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What if I didn’t want to make the changes from the inside? What if I wanted to take a different approach?” he pressed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Meaning?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What if I wanted to use more forceful methods?” Tom wondered if she would recall their conversation from a couple of days ago.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The realisation dawned on her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You want to build an army.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not an army,” he shook his head lightly, “a following. A society separate from the Ministry powerful enough to take over control of the Wizarding World.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“My response still stands. With the right tactics, you could take England.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tom raised his eyebrow, feeling somewhat slighted by her limiting his abilities to just one country.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And then what if I wanted more than just England?” he questioned.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A beat. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well,” her tongue traced along her teeth, “that’s where you’ll run into a bit of trouble.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Excuse me?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you want to waste tonight’s secret on the answer?” her tone was verging on warning, signalling he was pushing his luck.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fine.” he resigned, keen to avoid an argument where possible and have his question of choice answered, “Have you ever killed someone?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her reaction was hardly what Tom expected. She grinned.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You know the answer to that already.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I do, but I want to hear you say it.” he dared.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If you say so.” She rolled her eyes, hands raised in mock saute before crossing back over her chest, “Yes, I’ve killed someone. Did that satisfy you as much as you’d hoped?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>In a way, it hadn’t. He’d wanted to see her squirm under his scrutiny, have to confess to one of her darkest secrets. However, she didn’t grimace or whisper as though she were ashamed. Her tone was more appropriate for making a comment about the weather than confessing to a murder.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re incredibly blasé about it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I hardly see you crying over Myrtle,” she said bluntly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I didn’t know my victim.” he shot back.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Neither did I.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When Tom didn’t reply immediately, Aurora decided it was time for her to leave. Pushing herself up to her feet, stifled a yawn, wrapping her robe tighter around her body. Tom made no move to leave, sinking deeper into the armchair as he regarded her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I suppose asking about the circumstances would breach the secret for a secret deal?” he asked, even though he was certain it was a dead end.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Unsurprisingly, he was right.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Look at you, understanding your limits,” she said condescendingly, the same way the Matron at the orphanage might have done when addressing him as a young child. He half expected her to proceed to pat him on the head and tell him to run along to the toy room like a good boy. It would hardly be out of character. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The fight for anything else would be useless, especially when she was at least somewhat pliable at the moment. He conceded.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Very well. Good evening, Rosier.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She flashed him a smile you could almost mistake for being genuine, before turning stalking out of the library, disappearing into the darkness of the neverending Manor corridors. The anticipation for what he would be able to weasel out of her tomorrow was enough to create a small sense of warmth somewhere deep within him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Was it excitement? He couldn’t quite tell.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Only time would tell if he was really on track to working Aurora into the follower, not </span>
  <em>
    <span>collaborator</span>
  </em>
  <span>, that he really wanted her to be.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>* </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As it so happened, time told him that he was a fucking idiot for even entertaining the idea that Aurora Rosier of all people would be so simple to lure into a permanently docile state. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>On the third day of their shared research, Tom did not find her sitting on the floor of the library, instead, she was pacing the length of the fireplace, hair tied back, exposing her now undeniably sleep-deprived face and the scowl she was wearing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Good Morning Rosier,” he said casually.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her head snapped up in his direction, her scowl only deepening at the sight of him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Who is your father?” she demanded.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Feeling rather bold this morning aren’t we?” he mused.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Just answer the fucking question,” she snapped, “I’m really not in the mood for your bullshit.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tom took his seat in front of the fire, picking up his book of choice for the day as she stared daggers at him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wake up on the wrong side of the bed?” he cooed mockingly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Riddle.</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Aurora’s jaw tensed as she hissed the warning, her hands curling into fists at her side.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fine.” he sighed, “I don’t know,” Merlin did he hate saying that, “Aside from the Horcruxes, it’s what I’m trying to figure out, hence my questions to Nott about the whereabouts of the Gaunts.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You said your family was Irish.” she deadpanned.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“They are. The Gaunts are Irish. The Riddles? I’m not so sure.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How can you even be sure the Gaunt family that Auror visited are your direct relatives? How do you know there isn't another branch of the family still living in Ireland, just as reclusive, that your mother came from.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’d say that my middle name was a rather good indicator.” a smirk spread across his face at her growing irritation, not being able to help but enjoy it in an incredibly sadistic way.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Which is?” she demanded, tapping her foot impatiently on the floor.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Another secret, but nice try. My turn now. Why did you kill someone?” Neither of them had a habit of dancing around the questions they wanted answering, and he was hardly going to start now.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She had information that I wanted. She didn’t comply, so she paid the price,” her tone was the same as her confession yesterday, completely neutral and uncaring, “Are we done?” she huffed</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tom raised an eyebrow as she didn’t wait for a response, flicking her hair over her shoulder and marching towards the door. He twisted in his seat, adjusting the volume of his voice ever so slightly to accommodate her hasty retreat.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I suppose so, but may I ask why you’re leaving so early?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She whirled around, her eyes finding his immediately. He saw the fire behind them roaring, right as a bolt of heat ripped through his limbs, his hands instinctively grabbing at the armrests to steady himself. If Aurora had noticed his sudden strange behaviour, she for certain made no move to acknowledge it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Because I don’t feel like locking myself in a fucking library today,” she spat, taking a moment to compose herself slightly before continuing “I found you another book I think may be of interest,” she pointed towards a small red volume on the table that Tom hadn’t noticed when he sat down, “Happy reading.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And with that, she was gone. Leaving Tom quite alone again, only this time with anger festering in his stomach, just another case of his seemingly unprovoked anger.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Despite her parting words, Tom’s reading was anything but happy. He could barely focus on the book she’d left, his vision clouding over, obscuring the words across the pages and his limbs shaking with the effort it took to not throw something across the room. His body was seeking an outlet for the anger and he was denying it as much. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Aurora had been the one to instigate it. He had denied it and denied it and denied it up until this point, but there was no running from the fact. She had to be connected in some way, even if she didn’t know herself, and that's what stopped him from acting out.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Expressing the anger would force him to admit to himself that she did hold something over him. So he kept it all locked in, discarding her find in favour of any book he could find on magical connections, his sights momentarily diverted from his lust for immortality and power to forming some kind of explanation for what this witch was doing to him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>All he could find was drivel about marriage rituals and soul healing, both of which he immediately wrote off as completely useless to him. One particular book held a rather peculiar title, of Broken Soul Bonds, but it stated that it required those being bonded to both perform the magic required. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Fuming, he tossed the book back onto the table, raking his fingers through his hair. He’d agreed to her deal thinking he would be able to finally get some answers about her, yet every revelation only spawned more and more uncertainties. He accepted he wasn’t going to get everything he wanted from her in the short space of time she had given him, and she had been right the day before, he had known she too was a killer, and yet he’d wasted a day on fulfilling his own need to hear her confess. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He had two days left, and he would be damned if he let another day fall victim to his want to see her crack under pressure.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>*</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Unfortunately for him, on the fourth day, Aurora didn’t show up at all. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tom had walked into a dim and empty library, found almost exactly how he left in the previous night save for a small, neatly folded note with </span>
  <em>
    <span>Tom</span>
  </em>
  <span> scrawled across the top. He picked it up, carefully unfolding the pearlescent paper,</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Riddle,</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Books on Hybrid Magic are in the back right corner, if there is anything else about Horcruxes in this library, they’ll be there. Start looking in the Dark Hybrids. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>I won’t be able to join you today, Aurelia requested I join her in Diagon Alley. Don’t think this means you’ve been given a pass for today’s deal, though. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>My aunt and her partner taught me both Occlumency and Legilimency from when I could barely walk. I know you’ve been dying to know. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>No need for a formal response, write your middle name on this paper and summon a house elf to bring it to my room. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Happy reading, </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Aurora Rosier</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tom’s fingers traced over her tidy script as he read, eyes trailing over to the corner she had instructed him to look in, feeling a small pang of something in his chest at her dismissal for the day. He had expected to feel angry at her blatant disregard for him and his own agenda, but that particular emotion never came. It was something deeper, maybe disappointment? As much as he had conditioned his dislike of her, Tom couldn’t deny that the help she’d provided over the last few days had been immensely beneficial. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Merlin, she’d practically handed him everything he needed to know about Horcruxes on a golden platter. She was insufferable, but she was just as useful as he had hoped she would be from the moment Raoul had first suggested they recruit her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Except she hadn’t been recruited, had she? She was adamant she would never bend to his will, always the first to remind him that her offer was a one-time thing and that she would never give him something without getting another in return. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Secrets for secrets. Knowledge for the peace between them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Even when she had been in her foul mood yesterday, she hadn’t insulted him or tried to belittle him, she had just snapped before marching out. In fact, only he had attempted to rile the other up, something that was usually a two way game with them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He stared down at the paper long after he finished reading, going over and over her secret for the day. Her wording was strange, he thought and conjured a plethora of other questions in his head. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The term ‘partner’ stood out particularly to him. One might assume that it meant a husband or fiancé, yet something in the back of Tom’s head told him it wasn’t that simple. That first time she had tried to extend an olive branch, Aurora had suggested they become collaborators, and for some reason, his mind told him that it was a similar case with her aunt. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As for the fact she had been learning how to lock away her memories since she was a toddler, everyone knew that she harboured secrets, but to teach a child to protect her mind from unwanted visitors suggested she wasn’t just guarding it for herself. She was protecting someone else too. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finally, he looked over her request for that day. Only Aurora, when presented with someone who had murdered someone, would think to ask only for their middle name. Granted, he had teased her with it yesterday, but he hadn’t expected her to care. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Looking around the room for a quill, Tom’s eyes landed on a small writing desk near the door. He strode over, opening and closing draws in search of something to pen his reply with. He found a small eagle feather, similar to the one he had been gifted, and a pot of emerald ink in the bottom-most draw, and with steady hand wrote the name just underneath where she had written his surname. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>For good measure, he added his first name too, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Tom Marvolo Riddle </span>
  </em>
  <span>gleaming up at him in the wet ink. Allowing a minute or so to dry, he tidied the equipment back into the desk, carrying the note back over to his place by the fire.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She had further instructed him to use a house elf as a means of delivery, so he did. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Pippa!” he called into the empty room.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With a loud </span>
  <em>
    <span>pop</span>
  </em>
  <span>, a small house elf draped in a remarkably clean pillowcase appeared in front of him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Young Mister Riddle called for Pippa, sir?” she squeaked, her large eyes shining in low candlelight. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Pippa was Abraxas’ elf, his sixteenth birthday present from his father. She was tiny compared to most of the other elves Tom had encountered and she looked a great deal younger. Abraxas had told Tom on his first day at the Manor to use her when he pleased. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Will you take this to Miss Rosier’s room for me?” he asked, passing the note into the little elf’s already outstretched hand. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Pippa would be happy to do so sir!” she said excitedly, bowing deeply to him, “Pippa likes Young Miss Rosier! Pippa takes Young Miss her tea in the middle of the night, she does.” the elf announced proudly, tucking the letter behind her back.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tom’s brow furrowed,</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What do you mean the middle of the ni-” but before he could answer, Pippa disappeared with another loud </span>
  <em>
    <span>pop</span>
  </em>
  <span>, once again leaving Tom to bask in the mystery that was Aurora. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So she wasn’t sleeping at all, if she was being served tea in the middle of the night. It explained her recent appearance, not to mention her irritability the day before. Anyone who hasn't slept in as long as he suspected she had would have gone spare long before. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But like almost every other question he had about her, it was something that would go unanswered, it wasn’t worth wasting his allotted question on. Deciding that it would be useless to ponder on it any longer, he made his way over to the section on Hybrid Magics, choosing several large books to lose himself in for yet another day. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Maybe she would return tomorrow, maybe she would leave him once again. All he knew for the moment was that she was still trying to help, and he would be a fool to disregard her so quickly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>*</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>December 30th, Tom almost gave up hope with Aurora. Once again, he had walked into an empty library, except the note he expected to find from her akin to yesterday’s was no present. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He sat for almost two hours, brooding over one of the many volumes he’d plucked from the shelves yesterday. She had been annoyingly right about looking in the wrong section of the library, as most he found yesterday contained at least a paragraph’s worth of information on Horcruxes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>By 9 am, he had all but accepted that she wasn't going to show, and doubted she would even have the decency to send a house elf to notify him anymore. That was until the unmistakable noise of heels against the hardwood floors of the corridors began to ring faintly through the air, growing louder and louder and the drew nearer, right up until the door of the library was thrown open.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well would you look at what the cat dragged in,” he remarked, without taking his eyes off the text.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Your birthday is tomorrow.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His head snapped up in the direction of the door, watching as she paced steadily towards him, eyes still dark but her hair tidier than he’d seen it in days, not to mention the midnight blue dress she had donned in favour of the day robe she had been sporting. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Did no one ever teach you how to properly greet someone?” he asked as she sat herself down opposite him, crossing one leg over the other.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Did no one ever teach you to not be a sarcastic arsehole?” he raised an eyebrow at her jab but didn’t actually answer, “No? Thought not. Why didn’t you tell me it was your birthday tomorrow?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He waved dismissively into the air.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It didn’t seem important. How did you even find out-” he began to ask, but she cut him off.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not important?” she asked incredulously, “You’re going to be of age, you cretin,” and to think she’d done so well not insulting him, “that’s rather fucking important to most of us! Imagine how much of an idiot I looked when accompanying Lady Malfoy to Diagon Alley, thinking it's just for a spot of shopping, only for </span>
  <em>
    <span>her</span>
  </em>
  <span> to tell me we’re purchasing your birthday gift!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tom internally groaned, not out of ungratefulness, but Aurelia’s need to mother all three of them became rather overbearing at times. Christmas day was overwhelming enough, H\he could only imagine what she would have in store on his birthday.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I just assumed Raoul would have mentioned-” he began again, only for her to cut him off once more.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why the fuck would Raoul think to tell me when your birthday is?” she demanded.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Maybe if you stopped interrupting me, you’d know the answer?” she huffed, but gestured for him to continue, “He’s arriving at the Manor tomorrow morning, therefore, I assumed you would have known.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was a beat, her eyes widening slightly in shock. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Come again?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Last I checked, Rosier, you are not deaf.” his voice was firmer than it had been before, not one to play along with her forced stupidity when she was so intent on being the smartest person in the room the rest of the time, “I said, quite clearly, that he would be here tomorrow, along with Avery. It appears he did not tell you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He probably thought you would have told me, given that, oh I don’t know, I’ve been in the same Manor as you for almost two weeks?” Aurora retorted. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He severely misinterpreted our conversational abilities, then.” he quipped, folding his arms over his chest and leaving back into his chair.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Evidently.” she snapped back.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tom sighed deeply, wishing to get to the point of her arrival today. She had made him wait long enough, if she wasted any more time he may inadvertently try to curse her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Speaking of assumptions, are you here for your final secret? The deal was technically until tomorrow, however, I’ve been told that the library will remain locked to prevent me ‘locking myself away’ as Avery so delicately put it, and I hardly see a moment of privacy for trading secrets.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She brought one hand up to cover her heart, whilst the other came to rest on her forehead, doing her best impression of a damsel in distress.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, whatever shall I do, with one less nugget of information about Lord Mystery himself?” Tom thought he ought to put a taboo on </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span> particular word, no matter how many times she said it, he could never help but marvel at the effortless way her mouth formed it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Instead of dwelling on her pronunciations, he moved the conversation swiftly on.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And I'm the sarcastic arsehole? Seems rather hypocritical.” he quirked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She huffed again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fine. Last question. How did you kill Myrtle?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It almost made him laugh. He truly never thought he would ever meet someone who could talk about death as easily as Aurora could, let alone someone would be confident enough to ask him such a thing. Obviously, asking his middle name the day before had only been a filler in her absence. The way her eyes gleamed as she awaited a response suggested that she had wanted to ask this in person.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As he always did, the prospect of lying to her crossed his mind, but he quickly pushed it aside. If the boys could handle knowing what he had done, and how he had done it, she certainly could.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Have you ever heard of the Chamber of Secrets?” he asked conversationally.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“In passing. Don’t tell me Salazar left you a pet Dragon or something down there for killing mudbloods?” she chuckled at her joke, and Tom’s mouth curved into a smile.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“A Basilisk, actually.” he corrected</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her laughing ceased, her mouth snapping shut, and eyebrows furrowing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fucking hell,” she muttered, “I was only joking about the Dragon. That fourth year Hagrid got expelled for the murder didn’t he?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Indeed.” he nodded</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You penned a </span>
  <em>
    <span>Basilisk</span>
  </em>
  <span> killing on a fourteen-year-old?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I did.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She remained silent for a moment before her mouth slowly formed a smile too.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I hate to admit it, but I’m impressed, Riddle.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t need your approval Rosier,” he said pointedly, “but it is appreciated.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She rolled her eyes, throwing her hands up in surrender.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh Merlin forbid I try to be civil with you.” she scoffed, “Get your question over with then.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tom had thought deeply about what his final question for her would be, yet nothing had quite seemed to cut. One thing, however, had niggled in the back of his head. He knew he was pushing his luck asking, but there was nothing more fun than pushing his luck with Aurora. She wasn’t of age, it’s not like she could curse him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Having said that, she wasn’t opposed to physical fighting, either. Regardless of the possible consequences, he pushed on. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s not so much a question today, more of a request.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh?” her eyebrow inquisitively.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Teach me Occlumency.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her eyes narrowed immediately, and he suddenly wondered if he’d made a mistake.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And why would I do that?” she questioned.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m offering you access to my mind, Rosier, I’d assume that would seal the deal for you immediately.” That had been the pain selling point he had been counting on for his proposal, assuming that Aurora would jump at the chance to have complete access to something no one else was privy to.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That would be exactly why I’m hesitant.” she said suspiciously, “Do you understand how invasive any form of mind magic is?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Talking of her not taking issue with physical aggression, Tom was reminded of the consequence he faced for not understanding sooner.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The broken nose I sustained after attempting Legilimency on you once gave me a pretty good idea, funnily enough.” his absentmindedly ran his fingers over the bridge of his nose</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That was an excellent day.” she reminisced whimsically, staring off into the distance and exhaling lightly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“For you maybe. Now, answer my question.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her gaze found him again, surveying and harsh. He kept his face completely blank and she continued to study him until she decided on an answer.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fine.” she said suddenly, “ But on my terms. Five lessons total, I’ll tell you when they’re happening.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Those are the only terms?” Tom knew there would be more to it than that. This was Aurora, for Merlin’s sake. There was always something else with her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her smirk confirmed his suspicions </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sure I can conjure up a couple more in the meantime.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re incorrigible.” he declared.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thank you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That wasn’t a compliment.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She shrugged.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Depends how you want to be perceived.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You consciously try to be an arrogant bitch at all times?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Exactly. Is it working?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Frustratingly so.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She beamed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fantastic.” With that, she was pushing herself up from her seat, brushing down her dress the same way she had done when taking her leave. Not that he noticed things like that, “Now, unfortunately for you, I will have to leave you once again today.” Why did he feel a slight pang of disappointment again? “Aurelia needs to pick up a few things from Hogsmede and asked me to join her again. I see you have a few more books than the other day, will those keep you going?” she gestured towards the ever-growing pile on the table in front of him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Maybe until lunch.” she shrugged.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Very well, enjoy your last day locked in here,” she smirked, flicking her hair over her shoulder,</span>
  <em>
    <span> like she always did</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and stalking back off towards the door.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“With you absent, I shall certainly enjoy it more,” he called after her. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Liar.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She tossed a look back over towards him, her smirk only widening.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And you call me incorrigible?” she teased.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Goodbye</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Rosier,” he said with a tone of finality, not wanting to be shrouded by her presence any longer. If today ended up being anything like yesterday, the quicker she left him alone, the better for all of them. She was only providing a reminder of what would be missing from his day.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Merlin’s tits</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” he heard her mutter before the door slammed closed, the room falling into isolated silence once more. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>
    <br/>
    <br/>
  </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you to everyone for reading this far! Alongside writing chapter 15 I am going to be going back and heavily editing my first few chapters over the next couple of weeks, as certain aspects of my story have changed quite dramatically since I first started writing! I'll put a note at the end of my chapters when the edits are complete and posted, so if anyone would like to read the revised version they can! :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Happy Birthday</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>(21/2/21) Heya! Today I uploaded the revised version of Chapter 1, which had had a bit more content added as well as a few grammatical errors fixed :)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Marvolo.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom Marvolo Riddle. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora had to admit, as she stared down at the diary in her hand, that it had a nice ring to it. Admittedly, she hadn’t meant to do anything with the knowledge of his middle name, merely using the question as a filler for when Aurelia had taken her out of the Manor. However, when she’d been told of his birthday, and asked what she intended to gift him, she could hardly scoff and say nothing, that would be most impolite. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And whilst Aurora was generally very much ok with being impolite, Aurelia Malfoy was one of the very few women she genuinely respected, so she had scrambled for a response, her eyes falling upon Flourish and Blotts first, and deciding a diary would be apt. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was rather plain, black leather and bronze corner protectors. Personalisation had only been an extra five sickles, and Aurora decided she was feeling generous. That, and she highly doubted she’d ever need to know his middle name for any other purpose, so on it went. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The last five days had been incredibly strange and rather testing. When she had initially gone to at least try and form some sort of civil conversation between herself and Tom, Aurora’s only motivation had been that of Raoul’s interest. If he was to be caught up in Tom’s thirst for power and control, then she would be right beside him. Yet she had ended up with something completely different. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Something that wouldn’t only benefit Raoul, but possibly her too. Tom had accepted the truce, which meant she had needed to appear devoted to the cause. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She had known it was stupid, that she was leading him to his ruin by doing so, but to hell with it. She had handed him that fucking book on Horcruxes and left him to his own devices. Her only solace in her actions was knowing that nowhere was it stated how horrifically tearing one’s soul from its host could affect someone, and he would walk into his little pet project thinking he would only suffer the short term effect of excruciating pain mid enchantment and mild nausea afterwards. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Additionally, she had known he would try to swear her to secrecy, but where was the fun in that? So she had suggested the trade of secrets, and he had lapped it right up. Much as she had expected, his questions had been shallow, an attempt to taunt her, but ultimately he had failed to extract anything of real worth. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>So what if he knew about her necklace? So what if she knew she too was a murderer? It wasn’t as though he could do anything with this information. To know exactly what her necklace </span>
  <em>
    <span>meant</span>
  </em>
  <span> would be damn near impossible, and to grass her up for killing someone would be incredibly hypocritical of him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But on that final day, he hadn’t just asked for a secret. He’d asked for assistance. He’d asked her to teach him something he didn’t already know how to do. The smug satisfaction Aurora had felt in the moment had been near overwhelming. She’d almost wanted to turn him down, just to see the anger flash across his face as he tried to remain indifferent, but she had ultimately let her curiosity win, agreeing to tutor him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Was it a mistake? Teaching Occlumency wasn’t just invasive for the student, but also the teacher. Aurora was happy enough with her abilities that she would be able to find everything necessary from him, but there would always be a risk with Tom Riddle. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It may have been a mistake, but it was a mistake she had agreed to, and she would not allow herself to fall victim to the teenage wannabe Lord. Granted, that teenage wannabe Lord was an Heir of Slytherin with a Basilisk (She secretly thought she had held her composure incredibly well when made privy to that little tidbit, but seriously, </span>
  <em>
    <span>what the fuck</span>
  </em>
  <span>? Who puts a fucking </span>
  <em>
    <span>Basilisk</span>
  </em>
  <span> in a school, regardless of their stance on mudbloods?), but she was the Pureblood Princess, and she far outranked him, pet monster or not.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The secret sharing was over now anyway, as the sun slowly began to filter through the curtains of her guest bedroom the morning of December 31st. Much like every other night since Christmas, Aurora had slept a maximum of half an hour, tossing and turning in an attempt to avoid the deathly grasp of sleep and the dreams that it bestowed upon her.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Merlin, the dreams. It was the same one she always had. The one with the Potter bitch, thrashing in agony on the rich Parisian rug of her aunt’s drawing-room, but the more she wailed, the lower and hoarser her screams became. Her hair would retract back into her head, darkening even more and forming loose messy curls, her small slender body elongating and filling out to someone far taller and leaner. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>By the time </span>
  <em>
    <span>he</span>
  </em>
  <span> entered the room, it was Raoul on the floor, crying out in pain at the end of her wand. She could do nothing to stop it, no matter how much she begged and begged her mind to tear the image to shreds, to replace him with anyone, </span>
  <em>
    <span>anyone</span>
  </em>
  <span>, else, dream Aurora would only intensify the curse under the steady instruction of the other man in the room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Instead of begging as Potter had done though, Raoul muttered the same phrase over and over and over until dream Aurora gave in and slit his throat in an attempt to stop him. Even then, he would gurgle and splutter, still trying to form the words as the blood spilt from his mouth, threatening to choke him. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I love you, I love you, I love you</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora would awaken immediately after, soaked in sweat and panting. Throwing up her Occlumency defences, she would lay motionlessly in bed, doing everything she could to lock the dream behind any walls she was able to build in her head. Tea would appear next to her bed intermittently, and even though she had no idea where it may have come from, she would gulp the scalding liquid as fast as she could, her ability to feel it burning her throat greatly diminished by her locked mind. The first two nights of the dream had barely been manageable but by the morning she was able to release her mind just enough that she could present herself to Tom with some semblance of normality. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>By day three, she was exhausted. She had dragged herself down to the library, allowing her exhaustion to manifest into anger the longer she waited for him to arrive. As soon as she had what she wanted, she had returned to her room, locking the door and Occluding until she no longer knew where she was or how long she had closed herself off for. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It had taken four invigoration draughts from an eternally helpful Pippa to get her into a state suitable for public consumption before her outing to Diagon Alley. Even then, she was pretty sure she had missed most of the question Aurelia had asked judging from the looks of concern she had periodically thrown in her direction. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finally, last night, she had once again tossed and turned once again, but sleep never once tried to drag her under as it had done every other night. Instead, something else had taken her over. It started in her stomach, a knot of ice deep within her, before it slowly curled outwards, wrapping around her organs and racing through her blood until her whole body felt as though she was being frozen from the inside out. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yet she didn’t shiver or seek the additional warmth of the thick duvets the Manor boasted. Instead, she embraced the cold, letting it consume her, soothing her searing hot muscles and dispersing the panic that had so stubbornly attached itself to every corner of her un-occluded mind. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her final day with Tom had required no invigoration draught, nor had the final trip to Hogsmede with Aurelia. The cold had kept her fatigue at bay, spurring her forward. It had been a great disappointment when it had finally given way, every sensation and feeling of exhaustion slamming back into her and trying to force her back into sleep at the end of the day. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Which led her up to the morning of New Year’s Eve, and Tom’s birthday. The small clock on the bedside table read 9:00 am as she slowly allowed the exterior walls of her mind to disassemble, plunging her back into reality with much displeasure. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Raoul will be at the Manor soon</span>
  </em>
  <span>, she told herself as she tried to conjure the strength to get out of bed, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Raoul will be at the Manor today and tonight, and he will be safe with me and I will let no one harm him.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>It did nothing to calm her, despite her still heavily guarded head. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Merlin, Raoul. That idiot. That beautiful, fucking idiot. But he wasn’t just any idiot, was he? He was an idiot who was stupid, who was fucking foolish enough to tell her he loved her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her. Aurora Rosier. A murderer. For sixteen years of her life, Aurora had believed herself to be completely incapable of giving and receiving love. She had formed attachments and been told she was important but never loveable. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>You didn’t love people like Aurora. No. You respected them, and you recognised that she would rip you apart if you so much as breathed around her in a way she deemed threatening. Yet Raoul had told her he loved her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And worst of all, she knew she felt the same way. What was wrong with her? She hadn’t said anything back, the words refusing to form in her mouth. Instead, she would protect him. She would kill for him if she had to. The ever-looming agreement she had entered into in the summer fell wayside to her determination at that moment. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finally bringing herself to stand up, she headed straight for the bathroom, slamming the door behind her with all the force she could muster. Bracing her hands on either side of the marble sink, Aurora looked into the mirror in front of her, her pupils constricting at the sudden overexposure to the harsh light above her. Wanting to confirm that this was truly what she wanted, she studied herself, saw the life flaring behind her eyes as she repeated the promise she had made herself on Christmas Eve after Raoul’s departure. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She would do everything she could to soften the blow when she was forced to break his heart, but up until that moment, she would do everything in her power to love him in a way she would never be allowed to experience again. If that meant killing for him she would do it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>If that meant killing </span>
  <em>
    <span>Tom Riddle</span>
  </em>
  <span>, she would do it. Truce or no truce.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Taking a deep breath, she turned on the tap, splashing her face with the freezing water before drawing back up to her full height. She had a birthday party to get ready for, after all.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>*</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was midmorning when the floo in the primary drawing room roared to life in front of Tom, Aurora and Abraxas. Breakfast had been rather casual, the three Malfoys presenting Tom with a leather watch as was the tradition with Purebloods. Of course, it was generally the wizard’s own family who gave such a thing but seeing as he were dead, Aurelia had jumped at the chance to do it herself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arche stepped out of the fireplace first, shaking the excess soot off of himself and dropping his trunk next to him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If it isn’t the birthday boy,” he smirked, pacing forward to shake Tom’s hand, who very uncharacteristically returned with a quirk of his lip. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Malfoy,” he nodded as he moved next to Abraxas, shaking his hand too and clapping his friend on the shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Avery, I’m warning you now, you break anything in the Manor, you pay for its repair.” the blond boy warned, as Arche inhaled dramatically, placing a hand on his chest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The blatant distrust you bestow upon me is wounding, Malfoy.” they all collectively groaned at his theatrics, knowing full well that if anyone was going to cause some form of damage tonight it would be him, “Anyway, I’ll just stick in on my Father’s account, I’m sure he won’t notice,” he added, Abraxas raising his eyebrows in challenge. Avery ignored him, turning finally to where Aurora stood.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And last but certainly not least, Princess,” he bowed deeply, kissing her knuckles as she rolled her eyes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He shot her a smile as he straightened himself up, which she returned half-heartedly, only interested in when the final group member would be arriving. It seemed as though he picked up on this </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t go worrying your pretty little head, Princess, Lestrange will be through in less than five minutes. His father was giving him a little kiss and hug goodbye before they departed from my estate,” he said warmly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abraxas’s brow furrowed, “Really?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arche snorted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Absolutely fucking not, Lord Lestrange was having a hissy fit because Raoul won’t ask Princess to marry him yet, and my father is trying to diffuse the situation.” </span>
  <em>
    <span>oh for fucks’s sake</span>
  </em>
  <span>, she thought, </span>
  <em>
    <span>why must everyone feel the need to stick their noses into the situation?</span>
  </em>
  <span> “I jumped through the floo when no one was looking to avoid the little domestic they had going on.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Almost on cue, the fireplace came to life again, Raoul stepping out with a face like thunder as he deposited his trunk next to Arche’s.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Happy Birthday, Riddle,” he nodded towards Tom, “Malfoy, Avery, forgive me, I’ll make the proper addresses in a moment,” he set his eyes towards Aurora, the softness he usually looked upon her with gone, replaced with a hunger she’d never seen in him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He strode towards her, not saying anything, looping one arm around her waist and the other at the back of her neck, tugging her forward to meet him, his mouth descending on hers. He had no regard for their small audience, his tongue immediately pushed past her lips and swirled against hers, swallowing the small gasp she made at the sudden intrusion. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He drew his mouth away all too quickly for her liking, pulling her into his chest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Missed you, Rory,” he whispered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She wanted to say something, wanted to tell him she missed him too, but she couldn’t find the word to say it. How does one greet someone they’ve dreamt about violently killing for almost a week when you finally have them back, safe in your arms? She could only hum in response, hoping he would be able to feel the vibration of her reply through his thick travelling cloak.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Someone cleared their throat behind them, and they broke apart to see Arche waggling his eyebrows suggestively whilst Abraxas stared intently at the floor and Tom remained stoic. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, Lestrange, if that’s the greeting we can all be expecting, then I’d say this day is off and to an extraordinary start,” Arche said, winking at Raoul.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fuck off, Avery,” he chuckled, finally releasing some of the tension his body had been holding, and Aurora felt the corners of her mouth twitch in her efforts to not laugh herself, “We all know you need a good shag, but I’m afraid I’m a taken man.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A shadow passed over Arche’s face for a fraction of a second before his grin split even wider. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have no qualms with that, Princess might even want to join in, mightn’t she?” Aurora couldn’t help but laugh, surprising herself slightly given that most people who said such a thing to her would have ended up without a tongue for a week. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Forgive me, Avery, but I’m rather opposed to sharing,” Arche only pouted in response.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Raoul turned his attention back to Tom, shaking his hand with a nod, and then the same with Abraxas. It was all incredibly formal, and very unlike how any other group of teenage boys would greet each other. Aurora’s mind wandered back to that day by the lake in  September, when those Gryffindor seventh years had come careering down to the girls through the trees, arms slung over each other's shoulders and shoving one another. That's what teenage boys were meant to do, not shake hands and dance around their ‘leader’.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora supposed being affiliated with Tom made it very hard for anything to appear normal, however, given that he was anything but. She was drawn back to attention by Arche clapping his hands together as a means to move onto the day’s agenda. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right,” he said, casting his eyes around at the four of them, landing ultimately on Abraxas, “Where in Malfoy’s ever so humble abode will we be getting Riddle well and truly shitfaced?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>If Tom was remotely irritated by Arche’s comment, he did an excellent job of not showing it. Instead, he laughed quietly, clasping his own hands behind his back. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Father said we would be allowed to use his Gentleman’s Room.” Abraxas offered, “He removed the enchantments last night that would have prevented Rosier from being able to locate the room due to being female,” she grimaced slightly at that, strongly disliking the fact there were parts of the Manor she normally wouldn’t have even been able to even see due to her gender. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yet another reason she loathed to become some docile Pureblood wife. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abraxas smiled apologetically at her as if he were thinking the same thing, but refrained from saying anything else. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well then,” Tom finally said, “let us not waste another moment, Avery has a plan for the day and I dread to think exactly what it entails, but I’m sure the crate he has next to his trunk has something to do with it.” he finished, gesturing towards a box Aurora had somehow missed when he had made his entrance earlier. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arche was now smirked wickedly, walking over to pick up the crate carefully. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, you have no idea.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>From anyone else, this may have been seen as innocent party fun, but this was Arche, and Aurora was incredibly inclined to think it could end in disaster, whatever he had brought along. Crate in hand, he gestured Abraxas towards the door of the drawing-room as a means to tell him to lead the way. The latter complied, followed closely by Tom and Arche.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Raoul offered his arm to Aurora, but instead of just placing her arm atop his, she took his hand, lacing their fingers together and letting it drop to their side. It felt closer, more intimate, and she needed the closeness with him now more than anything. They walked through the light-bathed corridors of the Manor and up two staircases until they had reached the fourth floor. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was pretty sure she’d never visited this part of Malfoy Manor before, generally having stayed in the guest wing and general living areas. The wallpaper was darker up here, instead of slate grey it was completely black, serving only as a background for the rows and rows of portraits that adorned the walls. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Almost every single portrait was of a man with white-blond hair, all of varying lengths and styles popular throughout the centuries. It was clear they were all Malfoys, all glaring down at the group of teenagers who now waltzed past them. Aurora stared intently at each one with narrowed eyes as if daring them to make a snide comment about her presence in what appeared to be an area dedicated to only the family heirs. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abraxas had warned her previously that certain portraits in his home didn’t take too kindly to strangers, especially witches. She had scoffed initially, thinking nothing of it. After all, they were all dead and gone, nothing but some charmed paint on a canvas. As much as she wanted to remain completely unaffected, a small voice in the back of her head couldn’t help but remind her that these were wizards who saw reason enough to charm a room that not even their wives could find, let alone house guests. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She almost shivered at the thought of what else they would have thought to do with the house. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was pulled from her though by the sound of a lock clicking just ahead of them as Abraxas opened a dark wood door, allowing Tom and Arche to enter as he waited for Aurora and Raoul to catch up. It seemed as though they had fallen behind as she had examined every face they had passed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Septimus Malfoy’s Gentleman’s Room was pretty much exactly what Aurora had expected. Much like most other receiving room’s in the Manor, the walls were dark green, the only sources of light in the windowless room being the fireplace and a couple of candle brackets. Black velvet sofas were placed around a large circular table, which Arche had already deposited his box upon.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The door clicked shut being Abraxas, sending a surge of magic through the walls. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Privacy wards,” he clarified, “No one else will be able to enter without me permitting it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He sat himself down on one of the sofas next to Tom as Arche strode towards a small bar in the corner of the room, rummaging around for a moment before proudly producing a large bottle of Firewhiskey. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“1886 Ogden’s?” he asked with a raised eyebrow and sounding very impressed indeed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Damn, Malfoy,” Raoul commended from his place next to Aurora, one arm draped over her shoulders as he traced small circles into her shoulder, “How much is your dad spending on alcohol? That stuff costs about three hundred galleons a bottle.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abraxas chuckled as Arche deposited the bottle in front of them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“When the Head of House for the richest family in Wizarding and probably muggle Britain, the very last of your worries is having regularly aged whiskey,” he replied coolly, five crystal tumblers flying over from the bar and landing in their hands of their own accord. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>All eyes turned to Tom, who now sat looking rather smug, tucking his wand back into his pocket. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, are we going to begin?” he asked, eyeing the bottle in front of him and raising his empty tumbler in Arche’s direction, “I’m sure we’re all dying to know exactly what you’ve brought in your little box.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arche’s smirk returned as he uncorked the Firewhiskey, pouring everyone a glass before pulling the crate towards him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course. I’m sure you all know what Veritaserum is?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Salazar, Godric, Helga and Rowena give me</span>
  <em>
    <span> strength</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Abraxas moaned into his hands.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>*</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Much to the dismay of Arche and relief of everyone else involved, it had been decided that truth or dare with a truth serum was an activity for later in the day. He had muttered something about ‘</span>
  <em>
    <span>being alright with day drinking but drawing the line at having a bit of fun? Bollocks</span>
  </em>
  <span>’ before downing the contents of his glass. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>In all fairness, it was rather impressive how much alcohol the four of them had been able to consume in such a short space of time. When the house elves delivered several loaded platters of sandwiches for lunch, there were already three empty bottles of whiskey scattered across the table, and a fourth being passed between Abraxas and Raoul, who had all but abandoned their glasses in favour of drinking straight from the bottle. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wizards naturally had a higher tolerance for most things that affected muggles day to day, hence why they seldom caught muggle diseases. Alcohol was one of those things, flagged by the boy’s ability to still hold a semi-cohesive conversation. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...No, Lestrange you aren’t listening to what I’m saying-” Arche protested from where he was sprawled out across a sofa.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Raoul ran his hands over his face and sighed exasperatedly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Avery how many times have I told you that I can’t just put you on the team because you want to hit bludgers at the Hufflepuffs.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know,” Abraxas reasoned, swirling the contents of his Ogden’s bottle as he spoke, “Might do him a bit of good, did you see what happened last time he released his pent up energy on the badgers? Group of them walked around looking like actual badgers for a week.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora couldn’t help but giggle. It was incredibly unlike her, but the slight buzz of alcohol in her body hindered her better judgement. In all fairness, the week-long Hufflepuff incident had been rather funny, despite how vehemently she had denied it at the time, writing it off as immature and petty.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“See! Malfoy agrees with me!” Avery exclaimed, pushing himself up with one hand and using the other to wave towards Abraxas as though Raoul needed clarification as to which Malfoy he was talking about. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>In a rather shocking turn of events, even Tom piped up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I must admit, that was a particularly impressive bit of spellwork,” he said over his glass, causing Aurora to eye him slightly warily. Not once in her almost six years of school had she ever heard him compliment someone else’s magical abilities. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arche beamed, pretending to tip a hat in Tom’s direction.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well thank you, Riddle, I shall wear that compliment as a badge of honour.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t get used to it.” Tom snorted in response.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I wouldn’t dare.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Raoul sighed again, leaning back and drawing Aurora into his side, eliciting another small giggle from her as she buried her face into his neck.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Avery, you are not going to be made a beater. I have two perfectly able beaters,” he said firmly as she shivered at the vibration of his voice made against her hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arche remained silent for a moment before a mischievous smile began to spread across his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And what if all of a sudden one is not-so-able?” he asked casually.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“For fucks sa–” Abraxas muttered as he took a long swig from his bottle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I swear to Merlin if you put one of my team out I will fucking kill you.” Raoul threatened, pointing sternly at the ever cheerful Arche. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright, alright,” he laughed, his smile dropping as he mustered up a look of complete sincerity, “I promise to not intentionally hurt one of you precious beaters.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a beat of silence as he took a sip from his glass.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hypothetically speaking, if one happens to fall down a staircase just before a game-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Malfoy, pass me that bottle,” Raoul demanded, hand outstretched towards Abraxas.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The blond hesitated, narrowing his eyes towards Raoul and pulling the bottle further into him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You aren’t going to smash it over Avery’s head are you?” he asked cautiously.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t tempt me.” he snorted in return.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arche gasped, falling back onto the sofa, turning his head to face Aurora.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Princess, how can you let him treat me like this?” he lamented.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nope,” she replied swiftly, “absolutely not, I am not getting involved in your Quidditch drama,” Raoul’s arm around her tightened.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A wise decision, really,” Tom concurred from across the table.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abraxas almost spat up his mouthful of whiskey in shock.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry Riddle, did you just </span>
  <em>
    <span>agree</span>
  </em>
  <span> with Rosier?” he asked disbelievingly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, that’s a fucking first.” Arche stated, with a similar level of shock in his tone, “Maybe Lestrange has already hit me over the head and I’m hallucinating this.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Avery</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Tom warned, although his usual authoritarian presence seemed to be missing. Aurora assumed it was the alcohol. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, I concede,” Arche finished, “maybe.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora clapped her hands together to garner the attention towards her, eager to move on.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shall we change the subject before Raoul actually attempts to maim Avery?” she suggested, feeling the subtle rumble of his laughter next to her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How come he gets the first name treatment and we don’t?” Arche whined as she rolled her eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Probably has something to do with the fact they’re shagging,” Abraxas offered, and Aurora could have slapped him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arche waggled his eyebrows just as he’d done when Raoul had arrived at the Manor earlier that day. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh. Is that all it takes?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was Raoul who responded this time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Avery, I thought we’d already established that that won’t be happening.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arche sighed, falling back into his sofa, flashing his hands together behind his head</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah well, can’t stop a man from trying,” he said, trying to sound disappointed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora raised her eyebrow slightly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, I can,” she challenged</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah okay you can,” he said quickly in response to her now intense gaze.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So about that subject change–” Abraxas began, but was quickly interrupted by Tom.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have a plan for the summer.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was met with silence from all three boys and a look of slight confusion from Aurora. His admission seemed to have sobered them all slightly, as they all sat up a bit taller and became suddenly serious.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You found them?” Raoul finally asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom nodded as he placed his glass on the table in front of him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I did.” he confirmed as Aurora waited for further clarification, “Lord Nott led me straight to an Auror who’d been to visit them a couple of years ago. He was drunk enough to disclose just enough information to fill in the gaps in my research. Little Hangleton.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She inferred that he was talking about the Gaunts. Tom had never told her exactly what he had planned to do with the information about his family and she couldn’t help but wonder. Luckily for her, Arche asked the question. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fucking hell, Riddle. What are you going to do?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom smirked,</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I suppose that depends on how compliant he’s willing to be. Only one is left, which should make it easy enough to get what I want,” he said, leaving Aurora feeling no less curious.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abraxas’s eyes had widened, and he too placed his bottle down on the table.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The, uh–” he began, before his eyes wandered over to Aurora, then back to Tom.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Consequently, all eyes fell upon Aurora, but she only looked to Tom. Their gazes met, and she could see him studying her, evidently deciding whether or not she should be allowed access to something confidential. It took him almost thirty seconds to make his decision. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You can talk freely with Rosier here,” he ultimately said, “You three may be under unbreakable vows but she and I have our agreement,” Raoul’s already tight grip around her waist became even tighter as his whole body tensed, and Aurora couldn’t help the small pang of guilt she felt. Should she have told him about the secret trade? It wasn’t as though they’d had any time to speak privately since he’d arrived. Did he need to know?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And yes, Malfoy, the ring,” Tom finished. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s–wow–that’s brilliant,” Abraxas stuttered as Tom’s smirk returned, looking even smugger than before.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It is quite.” he agreed with a nod, “And what with me now being able to do magic outside of Hogwarts, I’m very confident it’ll be a success.” his hand ghosted over the breast pocket of his jacket where his wand was stored for emphasis. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And your father?” asked Raoul, drawing Aurora’s eyes up to his face from where she had been resting against his shoulder. He looked concerned, despite his confident voice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom chuckled darkly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If my uncle knows what’s good for him, he’ll lead me straight to him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was another beat of silence, the tension in the room tick enough to cut with a knife. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And you’ll kill him?” Arche surmised, any trace of his previous humour lost.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll kill him.” Tom smiled, leaving no doubt in Aurora’s mind that he would. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She suddenly became very aware of how loud the fire crackled behind them as they all sat in the gravity of Tom’s words, letting them steep. Raoul’s grip on her was unrelenting, his chest rising and falling beneath her hand in time with her own. Unsurprisingly, it was Arche who decided to break the silence first, his jovial disposition restored with a gulp from his almost empty tumbler. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, that was joyous. Let us raise a toast, shall we? To Riddle resolving his familial disputes!” there was yet another collective groan from Abraxas, Raoul and Aurora.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom closed his eyes momentarily as he picked up his glass.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lestrange I can see the attraction in smashing a bottle over his head now.” he sighed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can just feel the love radiating around the room.” Arche quipped, motioning for someone to pass him another bottle of Ogden’s</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’d say you’re lucky you can create spells as easily as you can, Avery,” said Abraxas, complying as he passed him a bottle from the bar, eyebrows raised ever so slightly as Arche refilled everyone’s glasses.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now that’s something I’ll toast to.” Tom agreed, raising his tumbler in the air as everyone else followed suit. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora didn’t miss the way his eyes seemed to linger on her slightly as she swallowed down the contents of her glass.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>*</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, Veritaserum or dare is a rather simple concept, you-” Arche’s words were slurred as he began his explanation, proudly presenting the small blue vial to the group.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>More than ten empty bottles of Firewhiskey littered the table in front of them, the advantage of having a wizard’s tolerance to alcohol having been obliterated roughly three bottles ago. Abraxas was sat on the floor, leaning against the sofa whilst Aurora had sat comfortably on Raoul’s lap, clinging onto his neck. Tom had been trying to maintain his usual stoic posture, but Aurora could see him slipping now and then before righting himself. Had Aurora been in a more sober state, she probably would have cared more, maybe even tried to weasel more information out of him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As it was, she was equally, if not more, drunk and currently rather preoccupied with Arche’s attempted explanation of his heavily anticipated game.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Avery, we all know how to play truth or dare. The more important question here is how the fuck did you get a whole vial of Veritaserum?” Abraxas exclaimed from the floor, his voice far louder than usual and he threw his head back to stare up at the ceiling.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arche tutted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah my dear Malfoy, don’t ask questions you don’t want answers to.” he threw the small vial in the air, trying to look cool but failing rather miserably as he almost dropped it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He readjusted himself, standing up as straight as he could in his inebriated state.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Before we begin,” he started, staring pointedly at each of them, “I’d just like to make it quite clear that despite the rather deceptive name if you don’t choose truth then I’ll dare you to take several stinging jinxes to the face. Just a small incentive to not be boring.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why is it called Veritaserum or dare then?” Raoul huffed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The illusion of free will is a very interesting concept I’ll be sure to share with you at some point, Lestrange.” he said condescendingly, “Right, who wants to go first?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>None of the boys made any move to respond, all eyeing the small vial warily. Aurora knew that Veritaserum was easy enough to resist with Occlumency, but she’d never tried it when intoxicated before, nor had she ever seen any research on the topic. </span>
  <em>
    <span>First time for everything I suppose</span>
  </em>
  <span>, she thought.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I will,” she said boldly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arche smiled as he took her tumbler, tipping a drop of silvery liquid into her whiskey before passing it back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nice one Princess. Drink up.” he said as she threw the liquid down her throat, not even noticing it burning her oesophagus, “Who would like the honour of asking the first question.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abraxas didn’t even give anyone else a chance to volunteer before he blurted out his question.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where did you and Lestrange go on Christmas eve?” he grimaced as soon as he finished speaking, looking as if he immediately regretted asking. Unfortunately for him, the Veritaserum had her talking before she could even try to occlude.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The red parlour just off the ballroom. The one with the cream chaise. I think you can make your inferences as to what happened.” she inhaled quickly, grateful that the potion hadn’t caused her to say anything else. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>However, it appeared Abraxas was of a very different opinion, given that he immediately gagged in response.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lovely. I’ll make sure to burn said chaise next time I’m in that part of the house.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The next fifteen minutes consisted of a thorough grilling of the three boys sat between Aurora and Tom, in which it was discovered that, despite his disgust at Aurora’s activities on the chaise, Abraxas had no problems with defacing common room sofas. Arche’s current spell tinkering was a combination of the transcribing spell and a confundus, as he planned to charm every book in the library to contain nothing but illegible scrawls, and Raoul’s least favourite member of his Quidditch team was his new fourth year chaser (something that had been followed by yet another argument with Arche over whether he should be allowed to replace them or not).</span>
</p><p>
  <span>However, it was rather obvious the one person everyone was most excited to see play was Tom. All eyes fell upon him as Arche handed him his dosed whiskey.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Anything off-limits?” he asked tentatively, something no one else had been afforded whilst playing. Granted, no one else had willingly said they would kill their father that day, so maybe checking for boundaries with Tom wasn’t such a bad idea.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He considered the question for a moment, swirling his glass before he shrugged.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re all sworn to secrecy, so I see no reason for limits.” he decided, knocking back his glass, and Aurora couldn’t help but notice the way his Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fantastic.” Arche grinned, “Anyone else want to take this question or may I take it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Go on mate,” Abraxas said, appeasing the rather excited Arche.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arche’s grin turned into the stupid, shit-eating smile hat painted his face every time he was about to say something that could get him in trouble as he cleared his throat, setting up for his question. Aurora thought that such a set up probably could have afforded him a slightly more eloquent phrasing, however. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Best shag?” he asked proudly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom’s face was expressionless, and for a moment Aurora thought he was going to draw his wand and hex the sandy blond. Instead, the corner of his lip began to curl upwards, forming a smug smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Eliza Fawley,” he announced.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abraxas’s mouth dropped open in shock, but of course, Arche had to vocalise his shock. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fuck off! The seventh year Ravenclaw?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Their Quidditch Captain?” Aurora’s head snapped up to Raoul, who was staring at Tom in surprise, and she huffed at the thought of Raoul knowing who she was. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rationally, she should have known he’d know who Fawley was, she was a fellow captain after all and one of the most popular girls in Hogwarts. However, she was incredibly fucking drunk and all rationality had flown out the window. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Stupid fucking Ravenclaws. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The same,” Tom confirmed </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’d heard that she’d been going around saying she’d had you but I thought she was lying,” Arche commented offhandedly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom’s eyebrow raised.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And why would that be?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well,” Arche began, fear flashing briefly across his features, “after that other Ravenclaw started telling everyone you two had had a bit of fun in a broom closet last year, they all started to say they had.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once again, Tom took a moment to consider his response. Aurora could have throttled Arche, the boy didn’t know when to shut up. If she thought Tom was going to hex him the moment he’d asked the question, he definitely would now. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yet he didn’t. Instead, he laughed. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Again</span>
  </em>
  <span>. What the fuck was wrong with him today? Aurora was certain she’d never seen this boy laugh more than once since first meeting him, and yet tonight it was an almost regular occurrence. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can’t say I have any complaints there. Free publicity.” he chuckled deeply.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Relief seemed to wash over Arche as he tipped his imaginary hat towards Tom again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wiser words were never spoken. Right, back to Rosier then-” he began, but Tom cut him off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Actually,” he smirked, “I’d like to direct that question back to all of you. It's only fair.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They all shrugged in agreement, passing their glasses forward to refilled and dosed from the slowly dwindling vial.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“As the birthday boy wishes...bottoms up,” Abraxas announced, tipping his head back in sync with the three others as Tom watched intently. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When they had all swallowed, he cast his eyes around all of them, trying to seem as though he was addressing them as a collective, but catching Aurora’s eye far more than anyone else. Her blood rushed past her ears as he finally came to a stop, focused only on her, the boys all too drunk to notice his concentrated gaze.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Best fuck.” his words were criminal, the way they rolled off his tongue as he stared straight into her eyes. As it had before, the Veritaserum had her talking before she could process it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Raoul,” she answered boldly, watching his eyes gleam with her answer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Aurora,” Raoul replied smugly, his hand around her waist splaying out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Annie Prewett,” Arche said proudly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abraxas didn’t answer immediately, his face scrunched up slightly as if he were trying to resist the potion. It didn’t work. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uhm, Selwyn I guess,” he muttered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was Aurora’s turn to sit in shock at someone else’s answer now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Excuse me?” she demanded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abraxas swallowed, opening and closing his mouth as he grappled for an answer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well,” he forced out, “you know, we thought, since we’re supposed to be married we may as well try-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And awkward arranged marriage sex was good enough to be considered your best?” Arche interrupted, trying not to laugh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’s quite pretty-” Abraxas began to reason, only to be cut off again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mate she’s fucking hot,” Arche said, before casting a glance at Aurora, “sorry Rosier,” he muttered quickly, and her brows furrowed in confusion, “that doesn’t mean it would be good.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She didn’t let Abraxas respond, pushing in before he could even open his mouth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not sure why I’d take offence Avery, but Brax, surely you both didn’t think it would help the situation?” he looked up at the use of his first name, something between shame and disappointment decorating his sharp features. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She was the one who suggested it. On Christmas eve.” he said quietly, “I said I’d wait until we were </span>
  <em>
    <span>actually</span>
  </em>
  <span> married and had to do it out of duty, but something about it helping people to connect and-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did it work?” Raoul questioned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I suppose so?” he responded, although he sounded unsure, “It was</span>
  <em>
    <span> bad</span>
  </em>
  <span>, so to speak, I’m meant to marry the witch, for fucks sake. Can you imagine if it </span>
  <em>
    <span>was</span>
  </em>
  <span> bad?” he groaned into his hands, “I guess it’s easier to accept that she’s who I’ll be bonded to now.” dropping his shoulders, he fell further back into the sofa looking rather defeated, as the four others looked around at each other, unsure of how to proceed. After all, it wasn’t a situation any of them could relate to.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As suspected, it was Arche yet again who diverted the conversion back away from the somewhat unsavoury place it had led them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, this is supposed to be a fun game, so let’s spice it up again. Lestrange.” he said, tipping more Veritaserum into Raoul’s drink,  “You have to fuck one of the Hogwarts Founders. Who is it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Merlin, Avery-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“-You’re a fucking nightmare-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“- still not drunk enough for this-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>*</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Avery, Aurora would destroy you in a duel without a wand, let alone wordlessly,”  Raoul shouted across the room at Arche, who was stood on the billiards table claiming to be able to beat anyone in the room in a duel, wand in one hand and whiskey in the other. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It must have been nearing midnight, Pippa having already been summoned to administer sober up potions to both Arche and Abraxas in fear of them throwing up all over Septimus’s sofas. Aurora had slowed down her alcohol consumption significantly since the game of truth or dare, the sudden loss of control she’d had over her Occlusion having severely jarred her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She sat propped up against Raoul still, only her head felt slightly more like it was attached to her body as opposed to floating just above. It also appeared, rather annoyingly, that she had left herself in a giggly drunk state, barely able to contain her laughter over the most mundane thing any one of the boys did.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Avery I could-” she hiccoughed, “-beat you in a duel wordless, wandless and blindfolded with my hands tied behind my back.” she giggled again, her usual confidence only bolstered by the Firewhiskey “In fact, I could take any of you like that and win,” she announced, puffing out her chest as best she could without falling off the sofa.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arche grumbled unintelligibly from the table, swaying side to side ever so slightly as he stared at the ceiling. All Abraxas could produce in response was an agreeable grunt, his head drooping towards his chest as he tried to stay awake, mainly to try and control Avery as per everyone else’s request, although he had done a shite job thus far. Only Tom offered any sign that he had even heard what she had said, let alone taken offence to it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His impeccable posture had disappeared, as he lounged in his chair, laughing deeply at Aurora as she shot him the harshest glare she could muster. Given his renewed bout of laughter, she was failing miserably in intimidation. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Rosier I-” he heaved again, his body shaking as he tried to suppress himself long enough to talk, “I can’t believe you think you would be able to beat me. I mean,” he paused waving his hands to gesture at himself, “</span>
  <em>
    <span>me</span>
  </em>
  <span>!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She scowled, vaguely aware of Raoul pulling her further into his lap to try and rub small circles into her back, the same way he always did in an attempt to calm her down. Suffice to say, it wasn’t working. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I so could!” she protested, as he burst into laughter once again, “and I wouldn’t even need a silly pet snake to help me,” she added spitefully, not thinking through what she was saying, her control over her words only slightly back in her grasp. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It appeared that it was the wrong thing to say, given the way Raoul almost turned to stone beneath her he tensed so much, Abraxas’s head shot up and even Arche drew his attention back from to the ceiling for a moment. Tom, however, continued to laugh, which she was certain was more unnerving than if he’d stopped completely. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t need a Basilisk to overpower you in a duel Rosier, we all know I’m the best in the year,” he said easily, and she noticed that all the boys had flinched when he had mentioned the Basilisk. Still, the jab at her abilities would not go unchecked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re the best at-” hiccough, “-syllabus spells,</span>
  <em>
    <span> I’m</span>
  </em>
  <span> the best at the real spells.” She felt Raoul’s hand resume it’s attempted calming ministrations, but her eyes remained trained solely on the still laughing Tom, her pride feeling each rock of his body as a direct hit. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And how would you know that?” he asked condescendingly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She bristled at his tone, the same one she’d heard from every single man she’d ever had the misfortune to meet. Well, except maybe one. But he didn’t matter at this moment in time, only the infuriatingly entertained one in front of her right now. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because I’m Aurora fucking Rosier.” she spat out, watching as he brought himself forward to rest his elbows on his knees. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And I’m Thomas fucking Riddle,” he retorted “Names having nothing to do with your skill.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mine does.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His eyes darkened at her answer, and she knew she had him caught in her web. Playing with her food was of course one of her specialities.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My name has everything to do with it. If it wasn’t for my name, I wouldn’t have half my abilities. It’s a shame some people’s names cost them as much, isn’t it, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Riddle</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” she smirked as the smile fell off his face, and she knew she’d finally hit a nerve. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well,” he bit out, “isn’t it a shame we wouldn’t be able to test your little theory, given that only one of us is permitted to use magic outside of Hogwarts.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was her turn to laugh now. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I wouldn't be so sure, Thomas,” she cooed, “Brax, darling, are any of the rooms here unplottable?” she asked sweetly, hearing Raoul groan behind her. He knew exactly why she was asking. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abraxas’s head lifted, his eyes widening and then narrowing before he answered slowly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes…’Rora please don’t tell me you’re thinking what I think you’re think-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Pippa!” she called, the loud </span>
  <em>
    <span>pop!</span>
  </em>
  <span> Of the elf’s apparition ringing around her head. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Young Miss Rosier called for Pippa?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, can you get me two sober up potions?” the elf nodded once before disappearing again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom looked at Aurora expectantly as she continued to smile, the other three boys - well two Arche had resumed his thorough examination of the ceiling from atop the billiards table - sat in uncomfortable silence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She refused to explain, however, until Pippa reappeared, two orange phials in hand. She threw one towards Tom before swiftly drinking hers down in one gulp, feeling her whole body reground itself as she fully came back to her senses. He followed suit, gaze on Aurora immediately intensified in his newly sobered state. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Care to tell us why you need an unplottable room, Rosier?” he drawled, and she almost smiled at the return of the snark she was so used to. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why of course, Riddle,” Abraxas rubbed his temples in preparation for what he knew she was about to do, and Raoul huffed in defeat, “the Ministry can’t track magic done in unplottable rooms, as they technically aren’t in England. It renders the Trace completely useless.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She watched the realisation dawn on his face, her smile almost splitting her face in half. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It means I can use whatever magic I like with no repercussions. Now, what were we saying about a duel?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>*</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Rory I really don’t think this is a good idea-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m afraid I don’t know what you mean Raoul.” he hummed sweetly, pacing backwards and forwards at one end of the ancient sitting room, all the furniture having been strategically moved to the edge to sit next to the walls, out of the direct line of fire. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It had taken very little coercion on Aurora or Tom’s behalf to get Abraxas to take them down the room on the second floor, even if he had grumbled the whole way down and ordered two house elves to keep watch of the door in case his father caught wind of their use of that particular part of the Manor. Whilst most of the noble houses did also boast unplottable rooms, they were still technically very illegal, the only reason they got away with them being that they were the people often making said laws, and therefore saw themselves as above them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom was pacing opposite Aurora, with Arche, Abrxaxas and Raoul leaning against the wall between them, watching intently as the two sized each other up. Her focus was laser-sharp again, her eyes flitting over his body, the way he was strutting and the delicacy of his wand twirling in his hands. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They were both smirking, both convinced they held the upper hand over their opponent. Aurora knew she was the better witch, knew she had always been the better witch, regardless of what any school report had to say on the matter. Slowly, she came to a halt, pivoting on her heel to face Tom directly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He followed suit, taking five long strides forward to meet her in the middle of the room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m assuming you know the proper duelling etiquette?” she asked, tilting her head to the side, watching the irritation flash across his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I do indeed, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Rosier</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” he hissed out her surname as though it were a curse in itself, “and as far as I’m aware, pre-duel conversations are not customary, so please do get on with it. Are you opposed to Unforgivables?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll manage.” she snarled, but bowed deeply, as did he, drawing back up until her wand was in front of her face. She turned back to face the wall, five striding back to where she had been pacing. Inhaling deeply, her magic thrumming through her veins as she twisted back, slashing her wand immediately through the air to summon a shield. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She smiled as Tom’s first curse ricocheted right off, knowing he would have immediately gone for the offensive. As she had suspected, his spells were silent, giving her no opportunity to form any kind of specialised defence. Her deflection hadn’t deterred him as he threw a second, a streak of orange that once again bounced off her shield, hitting the wall beside her instead. She fired back with a wordless </span>
  <em>
    <span>Reducto</span>
  </em>
  <span>, her smile widening as it landed just by his feet, throwing him off balance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His eyes snapped forward as he fired another three in quick succession, each hitting her shield with more and more force until it began to falter, then drop completely, a fourth shooting past and grazing her upper left arm. She felt a sharp sting from where she had been caught but didn’t stop to think as she fired back a severing curse of her own, capturing him in the same place. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blood was beginning to bead at the cut, the warm blood trickling down one arm as the other continued to whip and slash in Tom’s direction, casting curses of her own as fast as she was deflecting his. Meagre cutting curse after blasting curse illuminated the air between them, nothing cast with much intent other than to distract or briefly incapacitate, darkening their surroundings so much that she had completely lost track of where the three other boys were. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>In a brief moment of lapse in Tom’s casting, she managed to cast another strong shielding spell, taking the pressure off of her casting momentarily, enough for her to concentrate enough to conjure something more powerful. Thick black ropes shot out the end of her wand, coiling around Tom’s feet and she pulled forward harshly, his knees buckling as they landed on the floor with a heavy thud and a groan. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She breathed out a loud ‘HA!’ before recalling the ropes, not watching to finish the game so soon. Tom huffed, pushing back to his feet and narrowly avoiding yet another slicing curse she’d aimed at his ear. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The room felt electric, magic buzzing around them so powerfully it felt as though the room was shaking. All she could see, all she could focus on was Tom, and the way his eyes darkened as his wand raised back up to her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The next spell was different. A jet of black shot towards her, passing straight through the shield, only deflected a millisecond before it would have made contact with her chest. Aurora’s smile fell straight off her face, her teeth bared as she drew her wand back, driving it forward with a more powerful severing charm that she’d used before, aimed straight for his wand arm. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He deflected her first attempt, sending it off into the ceiling, so she shot another. And another. And another until she was content with the strangled yelp he produced, his free hand coming to clutch at the top of his right arm, the sleeve quickly becoming saturated with blood. If Aurora had thought he had looked angry before, he was now positively feral. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His eyes flashed red as he surged forward, pounding away her shield and hasty </span>
  <em>
    <span>protego</span>
  </em>
  <span>s with any and every type of curse she’d encountered. Before he’d been restrained, he'd danced with her as she played around, but the cut had awakened something within him, the part of him she’d been so wanting to meet. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She didn’t smile again, but she felt almost joyful, watching him throw everything he had at her, becoming more and more frustrated as she blocked it all, whilst she sent something else back now and then. A blasting curse hit the floor behind her, and she felt shards of wood lodge in the back of her legs, the far off twang of pain paling in comparison to the adrenaline she felt in the moment. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her wand movements were a frenzy keeping up with Tom’s, neither harbouring any regard for tidy casting. Her body began to heat up more and more with every spell she threw, nothing enough to get past him. Instinct took over, and her mouth was moving before she could stop it -</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>CRUCIO</span>
  </em>
  <span>!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A bolt of red shot straight into Tom’s chest, easily slipping past any defence he had erected, and his knees buckled once again. Only this time, he didn’t groan or stand back up. He screamed, low and hoarse as he doubled over onto all fours, muscles spasming as he fought to stay completely off the floor. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora’s eyes widened, immediately drawing her wand back and ceasing the curse, panting heavily as she looked frantically from her hand to the boy in front of her. She was rattled by noise to her left, only to see the three boys gaping at her, at the way she’d so naturally used the Cruciatus. She’d let her mind get the best of her, throwing her into her normal fight mode.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scraping from the floor in front of her immediately cut off any time she had planned to spend pondering what she’d just done, the gravity of her actions. Tom was coughing, dragging himself back up to a standing position, wand grasped so tightly in his hand that his knuckles were turning white. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He pulled his head up to face her, and Aurora saw him for what he was. Where his eyes may have been dark, or maybe even flashing before, they were now black, cold and hard and unfeeling. She could almost feel his next words reverberate around her. Her grip on her wand increased just in time as they both drew once again, those damned words falling from her lips in an attempt to block his impending blow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Ava-</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Avada-</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Before either could finish, the air around them exploded, and Aurora felt her feet leave the floor as she was thrown upwards into the torrent whirlpool of light that had manifested above them. She could barely see, expecting the feeling of falling to come at any moment. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But it didn’t.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Instead, her eyes adjusted, and she was able to see Tom suspended similarly about a metre away from her, eyes darting around the ball of magic that had encapsulated them. Confusion crossed his features before he turned to her, face morphing angrily.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What the fuck have you done?” he bellowed over the hostile hiss of the magic that continued to move around them, keeping them up in the air. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t do anything!” she shrieked back, aware she could no longer see where the boys were, or specifically Raoul, to know they were safe from whatever was happening. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well-” Tom began but was immediately cut off with a scream. Although this time, it was not his own. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora felt the pain tear through her abdomen instantaneously, clawing at her insides as though something was trying to escape. The magic stopped her from moving her arms, leaving her in a crucifix position as something ripped away at her internally. She expected blood to start appearing at her mouth as most victims of internal damage spells experienced yet none came. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Instead, Tom cried out too, his chin falling towards his chest. Aurora’s mind was reeling, and she could do nothing but feel as her body jerked against the building agony cleaving through her stomach. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was on Tom she noticed first, however. His abdomen slowly began to glow red, the more he pulled against the magical restraints, the brighter and brighter the light grew. The light eventually became too much for her eyes to process, she looked down, trying to find any spot of darkness she could to focus on. No darkness was to be found below her, however, only her abdomen glowing the same red as his. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>With one final scream, and feeling as though someone had taken a knife straight into her stomach, slicing it wide open, the red glow ceased, a small blackened shard materialising in front of her. All at once, the pain stopped and she inhaled sharply coughing and spluttering. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Aurora…” she heard a voice mutter croakily, dragging her head up with all the strength she could muster to see Tom staring wide-eyed at the sight before him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He had used her first name, but that was hardly important at that time. Instead, she observed that his glowing had stopped too, as another shard appeared in front of him, drifting into space between them, towards the one she had produced. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The closer they became, the clearer Aurora’s head grew. The effects of the pain subsided almost as quickly as they had appeared, leaving her to fully process what she was watching in front of her. The shards were mere centimetres away from each other now, the ball of magic spinning faster and fast until the finally contacted. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Everything stilled. Time seemed to stop as Aurora watched the two shards lot together, starting to faintly glow white. It was almost beautiful. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Almost. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A moment later, they ripped apart once again, hurtling back towards the respective bodies they had been drawn from and the magic that had been holding the two of them up dispersing. Aurora felt no pain when it passed straight into her chest this time. She didn’t feel anything, in fact, aside from her body hitting the cold wooden floor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hands were on her in a second, over her arms, her face, shaking her as she laughed lightly at the pressure she felt against the side of her leg he had landed on. How silly of her, how could she have forgotten?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ra-Rao-” she croaked out, vocal cords stinging with the effort to speak.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Rory? Rory can you hear me?” his voice rang through her head as she nodded weakly, feeling a hand stroking the side of her face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My-my,” she coughed, “poc-pocket.” she managed, twisting to her side ever so slightly to signal that the pocket in question was on the hip she had landed on. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Expecting to be rolled over, she was delightfully surprised to feel two strong arms lift her up off of the floor, whilst another hand slid into her pocket, drawing out the object from within. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Rory, this is a diary. What am I meant to do with it?” Raoul’s voice was concerned, and she wanted to laugh but feared it would induce a headache if she exposed herself to any more noise. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Na-name-” she struggled, “B-b-birthday.” she hoped it was Abraxas who had extracted the diary from her pocket and would understand what she had meant.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“-has Riddle’s name on it, might be a present-” she heard far off, as the arms beneath her shook her slightly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did you hear that Rory?” Raoul’s voice was shaking, “Is it a birthday present for Tom?” the use of his first name made her hum, nodding her head with a touch more vigour than she had before.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The arms holding her adjusted her slightly as they began to move, she hoped towards the door and maybe to a bed, but her moment of clarity within the magic had been short-lived, and her head was getting darker and darker with every step of the body holding her made. Exhaustion, both physical and magical, was claiming her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ha-hap-happy birthday.” was the last thing she whispered before she blacked out.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you to Poppyflwrs for her help once again with this chapter! As always, kudos and any comments you would be kind enough to leave are appreciated :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. A New Perspective</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Malfoy Manor had always seemed larger than life, but as Raoul stumbled his way through the corridors with an unconscious Aurora clutched tightly in his arms, it felt like a fucking labyrinth. Every door looked the same as he scrambled his way towards the guest wing, desperate to get her into a bed as fast as he could. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’d left Avery and Malfoy to tend to Riddle, not knowing or even really caring at the moment whether he was okay. His only concern was the witch slung over his arms, dress faintly smoking and body buzzing with magical energy. Dark or light, he couldn’t tell, only able to hope it was the latter. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>What had she been thinking? Challenging Riddle to a duel would never end well for anyone, even if she was an extremely talented witch in her own right. He cursed himself for not doing anything to help her, for allowing himself to just stand by and watch as she was thrown in the air, the magic that had encased her so powerful it had prevented him, Avery and Malfoy from even trying to intervene. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Even so, he should have tried to stop her before then, before they’d even left Lord Malfoy’s room. He’d thought that just trying to soothe her wordlessly would be enough and that she and Riddle would be able to come to a cordial draw of wits. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cleary, he was fucking stupid. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He found the door to her guest room, nudging it open with his foot, the candles in the wall brackets flickering to life as he kicked the door closed behind him, striding towards the large bed. Placing her down gently at the foot, his eyes flickered across the room, landing on a small chest of draws nearby. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Grabbing a nightdress, he quickly changed her out of her dress, the now torn satin littered with tiny flecks of wood and smelling faintly of smoke. He drew back the thick duvet and blankets, picking her back up to manoeuvre her underneath as she remained unmoving. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>For the first time since she’d landed on the floor, Raoul felt himself properly exhale, sitting down on the edge of the bed as his head fell into his hands, running them over his face and through his hair. Sweat had beaded along his forehead with the exertion of half running through the manor carrying his girlfriend bridal style, his suddenly worked muscles aching. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He tried to tell himself it was only a duel, only two teenagers who held an abundance of contempt for each other working through their grievances, but it wasn’t, was it? It hadn’t been jelly legs or tickling jinxes, it had been severing hexes and binding curses, far from your usual textbook classroom exercise.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And of course, they’d both used Unforgivables. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Well, Riddle had tried and failed, but Aurora had been all too successful. Raoul was no stranger to the Cruciatus, having been subjected to it more times than he cared to count, Riddle having developed quite the skill for casting it, yet it seemed to come almost naturally to Aurora. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He had always known she was no angel, Merlin, it was one of the things he found most attractive about her. However, it was one thing to cast a Cruciatus curse at someone, it was another to do it with such fluidity and precision that it brought Tom Riddle screaming to his knees. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Raoul had felt his stomach drop the second the incantation had left her lips, but it was nothing compared to how he’d felt watching them begin to form the final curse that had blown up so drastically in both their faces. She hadn’t looked shocked or scared, the words pushing to leave her mouth as easily as a </span>
  <em>
    <span>lumos</span>
  </em>
  <span> or </span>
  <em>
    <span>no</span>
  </em>
  <span>x would from a first-year. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He brought his head up to gaze down upon her sleeping figure, her face serene as her light blonde curls splayed out across the pillow beneath her. Her chest rose and fell evening (Thank fucking Merlin) as she seemed to glow in the low candlelight. Her serenity only made his panic worse as he stood up, pacing up and down the length of the bed trying to expel some of his nervous energy. Raoul knew how supremely fucked he was. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He had been told to seduce her all those months ago by Riddle for nothing but personal gain, and yet every day he’d spent with her, he’d felt himself beginning to fall more and more for her. He spent every day telling himself it was never something that would last, never something that </span>
  <em>
    <span>Riddle</span>
  </em>
  <span> would allow to last. Even if Riddle had said he’d only ever been interested in Aurora from the perspective of building ranks, Raoul had seen the way his eyes would linger a little longer on her every time she spoke or every time he addressed the group. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Each look she returned felt like a stab in the gut, but he’d pushed forward, knowing that if he’d failed he would be subjected to something far worse than the Cruciatus. In all honesty, he hadn’t been sure if gifting her the signet ring on Christmas Eve had been a good idea, his motivation for doing so being driven heavily by spite towards his father and Riddle for putting him in such an impossible position. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’d kicked himself the whole evening after for being so selfish, for not giving it to her only because he wanted her to have it, but because it benefitted him for her to have it, a marker that she was his. So to make him feel better about the situation, he’d fucked her and told her he loved her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He almost wanted to laugh at how pathetic it was. Did he love her? He hadn’t known. Up until then, it had all been some sort of twisted, vile game curated by Riddle for his own sick satisfaction and need to watch those around him suffer. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He had known he cared for her deeply, but watching her almost have a Killing curse thrown at her and thrown in the air had gripped him with such fear that he almost didn’t know what he felt anymore. Was this what love was? Feeling so terrified and helpless at the thought of losing someone that you end up questioning everything you’ve ever known about the relationships around you?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Raoul’s mother died when he was young, and his father never cared for affection, so any maternal love that was so often talked about was foreign to him, even if Aurelia Malfoy was always there to rely on. His grandparents had loved him, but that never extended beyond pitching his cheek or gifting him with stupidly expensive Christmas and birthday presents. It was all familial, nothing that even came close to what he needed to be sure of. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And then there were the girls at Hogwarts. He’d had girlfriends before. Of course he had. He was the star Quidditch player and a Lestrange, he’d had girls throw themselves at him since he was eleven. They’d been fun, fleeting moments of cockiness as he walked through the corridor with a new girl each week, only to ditch her when he got bored.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But Aurora had always been different. She’d never thrown him a sideways glance. In fact, he’d done most of the heavy lifting in the early days of their friendship. Even though it had been Riddle to force the relationship, what they had had still grown naturally between them, regardless of the situation he found himself in. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Raoul continued to stare down at her, his heart pounding in his chest. Magic seemed to dance across her skin, swirling and shimmering as she lay motionless. He thought it was a trick of the light until it began to quite literally wash over her, small waves crashing across the exposed flesh of her arms that he had left uncovered. Eyes widened slightly, he watched as a glamour charm dissipated.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her skin was covered in scars. Scars he’s never seen before, didn’t even know she had. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pushing himself up the bed towards her, he leant down to take in what had just appeared in front of him. From what looked like tiny burn marks right up to the newly formed gash on her upper arm from Riddle that had since congealed, she was littered with the nicks and marks. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She’d been glamouring her arms. She didn’t want him to see what he was now faced with. He felt a pang of guilt as if he’d stumbled upon something forbidden, something he wasn’t meant to see. In many ways he had. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He didn’t know what to do, Aurora was never the happiest person in the mornings and he dreaded to think how she would react if she woke up with him, arms exposed in a way she clearly didn’t want. </span>
  <em>
    <span>If</span>
  </em>
  <span> she even woke up. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Stop</span>
  </em>
  <span>, he chided himself, </span>
  <em>
    <span>she will wake, and she will be okay.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Merlin, he could have cursed himself even more. She wasn’t just sleeping, she’d quite literally collapsed in his arms after being flung from midair. He’d checked she was breathing and been content with that, but now he really thought about it, he had no idea what she’d done, what Riddle had done to cause the reaction. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Everything seemed to start and end with Tom Riddle, and now Raoul was pacing next to a knocked out Aurora having no clue whether or not he had actually managed to curse her, even if his Killing Curse hadn’t been fulfilled. Just because she was breathing didn’t mean he hadn’t achieved </span>
  <em>
    <span>something</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Riddle had mentioned earlier in the evening that he and Aurora had an agreement, something that deemed her worthy to be made privy to information about the Gaunts. Raoul had sworn his life to be allowed to even catch wind of Riddle’s plans, as well as several rounds of a Cruciatus for good measure. Despite his draconian rule, Raoul knew he would have never dared try such a thing with Aurora, regardless of how he felt about her. She was too valuable to them all. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>So what could she possibly have done for him that would have satisfied Riddle? It didn’t even bear thinking about, and Raoul knew he would drive himself insane if he thought on it too hard. His hands were shaking as he ran them through his hair again, tugging at the curls and continuing to refuse to remain still. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>So he didn’t. He knew from the start they would never be allowed to last, and that Riddle would always be there, hanging over them tauntingly as a reminder that Raoul had very much signed his life away when he first made acquaintance with that strange boy in first year. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He would never be allowed to be who or what he wanted, and every day he felt more and more resigned to the fact. Aurora was just another reminder of what he’d never have, serving only as the smallest of light in the darkness that had slowly seeped into his should-be-perfect life and the Lestrange Heir. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shucking his shirt and trousers, he finally peeled back the duvet and climbed in next to Aurora, his hands slowly tracing down her arms gently, feeling the cold skin beneath his fingertips as though she were some kind of porcelain doll. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>She’s breathing</span>
  </em>
  <span>, he told himself, </span>
  <em>
    <span>she’s breathing and she’s still alive.</span>
  </em>
  <span> He wouldn’t know until she finally woke if anything else had happened, his ability to cast diagnostic charms annoyingly limited. Wand in hand, he recast a glamour charm instead, watching the marks fade back into the smooth milky expanse he had grown so used to. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As well as he liked to think he knew her, Raoul also knew there were parts of she was hiding. He could see it every time she looked at him, her eyes always dulled the same way his fathers were. He had known for a long time she was an Occlumens, and if she ever felt like she could let him in, he would let her do so in her own time. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looped an arm around her waist, pulling her towards him, his face buried in her fair and he listened to her breathing, the scent of jasmine filling his nostrils. The fear he had felt seeing her on the drawing-room floor settled, leaving only his concern and newfound contempt for Riddle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Only then Raoul finally decided that he did love truly Aurora Rosier. Regardless of whether or not she’d said it back to him, regardless of the shock she’d displayed when he first said it, tasting the way the words felt on his lips, he knew that he wasn’t lying to himself to appease anyone else. No one would ever make him feel the way that she did, he was certain of it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They were never made to last, but he’d known that all along. If he’d really wanted to, he could have held back, not allowed himself to become as attached as he had. Pulling her tighter against him still, he used his free hand to motion towards the candles, extinguishing them and leaving the room to bathe in only the strips of moonlight that cut through the windows. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tomorrow morning they would be back at Hogwarts, and he felt a small hourglass slowly tip in the back of his head, marking an unknown amount of time, the sand trickling down to the day </span>
  <em>
    <span>Riddle</span>
  </em>
  <span> decided they were finished. The game as a whole was always unfair, always set for Riddle to come out as the victor, but in this very moment, with Aurora - alive, he reminded himself again - wrapped tightly in his arms, he couldn’t help but feel he had won a minor battle within the war that raged around him. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Heya! Chapter 1 has now be re-uploaded with some extra content and a few errors fixed. If you started reading after 21/2/21 and would like to read this version, it's now up and ready! Bit of a change for this chapter this week whilst I sorted out Chapter 1 and 2, but we'll be back with Tom soon enough. As always, any comments or kudos is very much appreciated!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Nothing is Sacred</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em> Tom was looking upon the event unfurling in front of him. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> He was in a huge drawing room, although it was one he was certain he’d never seen before. The walls were too bright to have been anywhere within the Malfoy Manor, even in the dull glow of candlelight could he see the cream peeking out beneath the heavy crimson curtains that lined the room.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> What was more interesting, however, was Aurora stood next to him, wearing only a thin white nightgown, hair hanging loosely down her back, gaping at him. He looked down to his own body, clad in the same shirt and trousers he’d been wearing in the day. It took a moment for the realisation of what may have been happening to dawn on him, but before he could ask, the sound of a gargled scream pulled his focus towards the front of the room.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Another blonde woman wearing a deep emerald coat stood over a small body curled up on the floor. He looked back to Aurora, her face painted with horror. The woman had her wand trained upon the figure, a shot of red light cast wordlessly as it hit the balled girl in the chest, pulled another strangled scream from her throat.  </em>
</p><p>Tell me where it is.</p><p><em> Any trace of amusement Tom had felt towards Aurora’s horror dissipated immediately at the voice that had spoken. Turning ever so slowly back towards the nightgown clad girl behind him, he saw Aurora’s eyes widen as she met his gaze. The girl on the floor continued to scream as the other woman’s wand held strong. As </em> Aurora <em> ’s wand held strong.  </em></p><p>
  <em> Tom’s eyes flicked between the two versions of the same girl, as the Aurora in the green coat roughly grabbed the hair of the girl on the floor, pulling her up to look down into her face as the Aurora next to him began to visibly panic, mouth moving as though she couldn’t find her words. Luckily, green coat Aurora was more than capable of forming a coherent sentence. </em>
</p><p>I could do this all day. I know you know where it is, tell me or I swear to Merlin I will cut your tongue out.</p><p>
  <em> She spat, the same venom Tom was so used to hearing from her dripping from the words. Only this time, Tom genuinely believed she would follow through. </em>
</p><p>It’s a dream, <em> Aurora’s voice echoed through his head as he became aware of the body standing next to him, </em> my dream. <em> He looked at her, eyes narrowed as to how she’d managed to speak without saying anything. </em></p><p>It’s a dream. I can do what I want. I assume you can too, <em> She echoed as if she’d been reading his mind. His eyes only narrowed more as she rolled her eyes. </em></p><p>I can hear everything you’re thinking, you idiot. I’m not using Legilimency, your thoughts are just very loud, <em> her echo seemed tinged with annoyance, but the sound of a slap resonating around the room drew Tom back to the other Aurora in front of him. </em></p><p>
  <em> The perspective shifted, and Tom found himself stood next to the alternate Aurora, staring down at the body on the floor. The girl’s dark hair was a messy tangle as she quivered with fear. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> He turned his head over so slightly, just enough to take in dream Aurora’s face. She was completely blank, her features harder than the girl on his other side, her hair pulled back from her face as she stared intently down towards the floor. He couldn’t help but notice the necklace she’d revealed to him sat on her chest, just visible through the open front of her coat, as it seemed to almost glow faintly. </em>
</p><p>Look back to the floor, whatever you do, don’t turn around, <em> he suddenly heard ringing through his head, Aurora’s voice firm and demanding. He only had a moment to wonder why she’d ask such a thing until he heard a door crack open and heavy footsteps draw closer and closer to where they stood. </em></p><p><em> He wanted to turn, to know who had just entered, but a sudden pressure on his wrist forced him to draw in a sharp breath. </em> Don’t you fucking dare, <em> he heard the hiss, very aware of Aurora’s hand clutching tightly onto him. It was strange, considering this was a dream, her touch felt all too real. </em></p><p>
  <em> From where he focused on the floor, he could only see out of his peripheral a dark figure, shrouded by the shadows the candlelight cast. Hands reached out, resting against the cheek and waist of dream Aurora. He felt his skin erupt into goosebumps at the sound of their new companion’s voice. </em>
</p><p>You've done so well, Aurora. You're almost there.</p><p>
  <em> It was low, gravelly and unfamiliar, yet the heavy accent set Tom instantly on edge. He felt like he should recognise it, like it should be obvious and yet he couldn’t place it. </em>
</p><p>Anything for you, my lord.</p><p><em> Aurora’s grip on him faltered as they both stiffened at her words, the now barely-there brush of her fingertips against the pulse of his wrist feeling like fire. </em> It’s not what it sounds like, <em> a small voice whispered but it didn’t stop the surge of emotion Tom felt rush through him.  </em></p><p>
  <em> The exact emotion, he couldn’t place, but he knew it was strong. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> He watched as a hand travelled down her arm, wrapping around Aurora’s wand hand as he heard her take a shuddering breath, the hand on his wrist dropping completely. He channelled all his focus onto the girl on the floor, trying to ignore both variations of Aurora </em>
</p><p>A rather pathetic being, wouldn't you say, my sweet?</p><p>
  <em> The low voice drawled, only to chuckle as Tom watched Aurora nod her head with grim enthusiasm. He felt almost desperate to incline his head ever so slightly, so see who it was that had joined them, but he couldn’t quite bring himself to move. </em>
</p><p>I say we dispose of her, my lord, <em> the dream version of Aurora sounded almost gleeful when she spoke, </em>she's proven herself quite useless. I doubt letting her go would do any favours either. The Legilimency and Cruciatus have left her quite mad.</p><p>
  <em> The cruelty that laced her words was almost shocking as she trained her wand further towards the floor. </em>
</p><p>Is that so?</p><p>
  <em> The girl on the floor had broken down into sobs again. She grovelled and begged at their feet, Tom feeling morbidly impressed with Aurora’s obvious adequacy for torture. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> He really shouldn’t have been surprised, having fallen victim to one of her Cruciatuses himself.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> The man seemed to pull Aurora tighter against him, whispering lowly in her ear, something that Tom couldn't quite make out, no matter how hard he strained his ears.  </em>
</p><p>He’s telling me to do the honours, <em> Aurora’s voice said, and Tom didn’t need to ask what she had meant as the girl was thrown in the air, hanging as though she was suspended by her shoulders. </em></p><p>
  <em> Her blood-curdling screams rang throughout the whole drawing-room, shrill and hysterical as she tried to fight against the magic holding her in place. The next thing he knew, Tom was watching a thin trail of blood trickling down from her neck, the screams becoming gargled and wet as the slash that Aurora had drawn across her throat formed. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> It seemed Aurora had always liked to play with her food before she ate it. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Tom heard another deep chuckle as the unidentified hand slithered back from Aurora’s wand arm. He could only watch in awe at the confidence and ruthlessness with which he’d just seen her cast her spells, her head lolling back at the sound of the other man’s voice. </em>
</p><p>You should have known better than to try to keep information from me, Miss Potter. Finish her off my sweet.</p><p>
  <em> Her wand slashed through the air, green light filling the whole room momentarily before ceasing, revealing a now very crumpled body on the floor, limbs splayed and bloody as she continued to bleed out. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> It appeared as though he’d just witnessed her foray into murder, and chanced a glance up at the nightgown clad Aurora, given that she hadn’t explicitly said he couldn’t look to that version of herself. She was stoic, head held high as she looked down onto the girl’s body. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Potter’s body, as the man had said. All too quickly, the memory of watching her obliviate that seventh-year came crashing back. He was a Potter too, surely this was a means for obilivation if he knew?  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Cogs whirred in Tom’s head as he tried to make sense of what he’d just watched. The duel they’d engaged in had shocked him, her power far stronger than he’d expected, even the blowback of their magic that he’d seen before passing out being something he never could have predicted, but this was something else- </em>
</p><p>Look behind you. <em> Tom’s eyes snapped to the girl next to him, her face now turned away from him. </em> You’re clearly in the dream for a reason, you may as well know. <em> She sounded almost bitter, but he wasted no time turning back to see the man just behind them.  </em></p><p>
  <em> When his eyes adjusted, Tom could barely contain the sharp intake of breath he took at the sight in front of him. Whatever he had been expecting, this certainly wasn’t it.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> The white hair, the sharp features, and the single bright white eye against the other completely black. It was the same face that painted the front of every Daily Prophet.  </em>
</p><p>Fucking hell, <em> was the only thing he managed to verbalise.  </em></p><p>
  <em> He was staring at Aurora, head resting comfortably back onto the shoulder of Gellert Grindelwald. </em>
</p><p>Time to wake up now, Tom, <em> was whispered as the scene began to fade around him, his gaze never leaving the face of dream Aurora as she continued to push back into his grip as he continued to whisper his praises in her ear, only faint feeling the pressure of a hand on his wrist one final time. </em></p><p>Eyes snapping open, he pushed himself up onto his elbows, eyes darting around the bedroom he couldn’t remember returning to. Sweat dripped down from his brow, the shirt he’d been wearing the night before clinging to his back.</p><p>Faint sunlight permeated through the drawn curtains, signalling the early morning, but all Tom could think about was the dream. He never dreamt, not even as a child. Sleep had always come and gone fleetingly, yet last night he hadn’t just dreamt, he had been in Aurora’s. </p><p>If the extreme detail of an event that had never witnessed hadn’t been enough to convince him, the all too real sensation of her hand on him had told him deep down that what he had experienced hadn’t been normal, or simple at all. </p><p>The last thing he remembered before he’d appeared in the drawing-room had been the duel, the blinding agony of the Cruciatus curse, and being thrown high into the air, then promptly blacking out as he’d been thrown to the floor. Yet somehow he’d ended up in a dream with Aurora, able to communicate with her as he watched her kill that girl. </p><p>He had watched her kill a girl under the watchful eye (<em> and hand, </em> he thought) of Gellert Grindelwald. </p><p>Fucking <em> Grindelwald. </em></p><p>Her words from the first day of the term suddenly clicked in his head, when she’d laughed at him for demanding the boys call him my lord, saying that she’d heard it before. She’d heard it before because she had her own lord she answered to. </p><p>And it was Grindelwald. No matter how many times he repeated the fact in his head, Tom still couldn’t bring himself to believe it. He brought his hands up to his face, rubbing his eyes with the palms of his hands. The muscles in his body twinged faintly, though he supposed that could be expected from someone subjected to a torture curse less than twelve hours previous.  </p><p>The small clock on the table in his guest suite said it was 7:37 am, just over an hour before they needed to leave for King’s Cross. He pulled himself up to a seating position at the side of the bed as something else on the bedside table. It was a black book he was almost certain he’d never seen before. </p><p>He picked it up, feeling the cool leather against his fingers. Turning it over, the metallic lettering shone in the early morning light. <em> Tom Marvolo Riddle </em>.  </p><p>Despite his somewhat sour mood, he couldn’t suppress the slight upturn of his lip at the sight of the diary, almost certain he knew exactly where it had come from. If he thought the last term had been hard work, he was sure that he had his work cut out for the commencing. </p><p>*</p><p>Aurora had vehemently avoided Tom for the majority of the day, hiding behind Lestrange when they’d all reconvened in the entrance hall of Malfoy Manor to bid goodbye to Aurelia and Septimus. Hopping in the Ministry car, she’d sat at the very back, just as she’d done on the last journey, but as far as Tom was aware she didn’t even speak to  Lestrange, her face deathly pale as she stared at the rolling countryside of Wiltshire. </p><p>Not even at King’s Cross did they come anywhere close to communicating. Malfoy and Avery had stayed with him as they boarded the train, casting nervous glances towards each other and then Tom intermittently. He had no idea where Lestrange was, but only assumed Aurora had roped him into her plan of avoidance. </p><p>He’d considered punishment for Avery, after all, had he not pushed so hard for the birthday celebrations to go ahead he highly doubted that the duel would have gone ahead. However, as he looked upon the boy cradling his head between his hands, eyes tightly shut and groaned family with every slight rock of the train carriage, Tom decided maybe, just once, the hangover was punishment enough. </p><p>After all, despite everything, he had woken up delightedly hangover free. Not even his Cruciatus after effects seemed to be quite as painful as the headache Avery was nursing. </p><p>Malfoy had hesitantly asked how Tom was feeling, only to be brushed off, assured that he felt quite fine, thank you very much. He could tell that the blond wanted to ask about the duel, about what had happened, and Tom was pained to say he didn’t exactly know. Instead, he just said something about magic exertion, and that he’d be back on top form by the time they got to Hogwarts. </p><p>As it happened, that was a complete lie. The feast had dragged on far longer than Tom ever remembered them lasting, completely tuning out Headmaster Dippet’s droning speech on the joys the new year was sure to bring, and the announcements regarding Hogsmeade visits for the third years. His only focus was the girl sat just down the table, head inclined ever so slightly as she whispered to Selwyn. </p><p>The colour had barely returned to her face, her shoulders hunched as she pushed the roast potatoes aimlessly around her plate. Lestrange had returned to them after they’d arrived at Hogsmeade station, claiming that Aurora was feeling unwell and he’d opted to stay with her for the journey. Tom’s eyes had narrowed slightly, wondering if she felt even half as bad as he did. He was the one who’d been crucio’d, after all, she’d gotten away with only being flung on the ground. </p><p>At least, as far as he could remember.</p><p>He was so out of it that he barely noticed when Avery shook his shoulder, telling him that the feast was over. He only really snapped back to reality when he felt a shot of pain run from his knee up to his thigh, and the sound of all the crockery on the table shifting as someone crashed into it. His eyes snapped forward to see Aurora half stood up, clutching her leg and swearing loudly as Selwyn grabbed onto her arm. </p><p>Snickers echoed up and down the Slytherin table at the disruption but were quickly silenced by a scathing glare from the not very irate looking girl. Running his hand over the spot on his leg, Tom realised they were nursing pain in the same place, just above the knee on the left leg. It was more than odd. </p><p>Avery called for Tom’s attention again, and with a huff Tom pushed himself up from the bench, falling in step with the other boys on the way back down the dungeons, trying to ignore the subtle throbbing in his leg. Malfoy seemed to notice the slight limp he’d adopted, but said nothing, only looking at him skeptically before disappearing through the opening in the dungeon wall. </p><p>The boys all made a beeline for their corner of the Common Room, shoo’ing off the younger students who had just sat down. Tom couldn’t even bring himself to smirk as they scurried away, sitting down stiffly in the armchair facing the sofas. </p><p>The conversation was quiet, only the three boys talking about what the next Quidditch match between Ravenclaw and Gryffindor would mean for Slytherin’s standing in the House Cup. Tom couldn’t bring himself to speak, let alone to say something with consequence. His lack of engagement brought a natural end to the discussion, Avery and Malfoy taking their leave with nods and a question of whether the house elves were permitted to supply students with hangover potions. </p><p>Lestrange had looked hopefully across the room for a few moments before making his move to leave too, obviously not having spotted what, or who, he had been looking for. Tom assured him he’d be along soon, feeling as though he needed to remain put just a little longer. </p><p>The feeling seemed to be the correct one, s not a minute after Lestrange’s figure disappeared into the long corridor of dorms did another appear, throwing herself unceremoniously down onto the newly vacated sofa. </p><p>“What the <em> fuck </em> did you do?” Aurora hissed, her voice low as to not be overheard by the few lingering students left milling around the room. </p><p>Tom’s hand came up to massage his forehead, “I didn’t do anything, Rosier, I think the better question here is what did <em> you </em> do?” His tone was challenging, but he felt that his somewhat slumped posture threw him off slightly. </p><p>She scowled at him, and he noticed her hand still rubbing absentmindedly at where she’d hit it on the table. Where he too still felt the faint pain. </p><p>“Nothing, I’ll have you know. But I wake up this morning feeling like utter shite,” he snorted at that, her scowl only deepening as she pressed on, “not to mention the <em> dreams </em>-“ his sudden wide-eyed look cut her off as she froze entirely, any colour that may have restored itself immediately draining from her face. </p><p>“The dream…” she murmured; hand coming up to rest lightly over her mouth, as his curled into a half-hearted smirk. </p><p>“That dream. You weren’t just in it, in my head, were you? You were there,” she surmised, her voice far less harsh than it had been, but now choc-full of suspicion. </p><p>He smiled falsely, wanting to see if he could get her squirming under his gaze, “I’m afraid you’ll need to be a bit more specific for me, Rosier. You see, I too woke up this morning feeling rather - <em> shite </em>, as you so eloquently put it - and I’m afraid it’s taken quite the toll on my inferential abilities. Might you care to explain exactly what you did in this dream?” He watched as her jaw tensed, every ounce of anger she had displayed returning in full force. </p><p>“Riddle you utter fucking cunt-“</p><p>“Ah-ah-ah, what have I said about being crude before?”</p><p>“When have I ever given you the impression that I give a fuck?” she snarled, “You know exactly what you saw if my suspicions are correct. You’d do well to keep your mouth well and truly shut.” She looked him up and down, starting to smirk slightly herself, “I believe there’s no question as to what I’m capable of now. An incentive to not be such a twat, maybe?” </p><p>Tom snorted again, the muscles in his arm pulling dully as he placed it back onto the armrest. “It’s rather adorable that you think it would stop me,” he remarked. </p><p>Aurora rolled her eyes, but pushed herself forward ever so slightly, dropping her voice to a whisper, “Meet me next Sunday for your first lesson. I promise you, I don’t take kindly to unruly students.” Her eyes flashed with warning as she pulled back. </p><p>“I’m afraid I’m rather busy next Sunday evening.”</p><p>It was Aurora’s turn to snort now. </p><p>“What is it his time then? Shagging Ravenclaws or hosting tea parties with your little band of merry men?” She asked mockingly. </p><p>“The latter,” he retorted. “And it would do you well to remember that your boyfriend is one of my <em> merry men </em>.”</p><p>Her features darkened considerably. </p><p>“What exactly are you suggesting, Riddle?” She questioned. </p><p>“I’m not suggesting anything, Rosier,” he drew out her surname, “simply reminding. I’m sure you know all about keeping followers in line.” His smirk widened considerably, “Or maybe your Lord does.”</p><p>She stood up immediately, her hands balled into fists.</p><p>“Fuck you, Riddle.” She spat, “Eleven o’clock next Sunday. I don’t care whether you’re busy or not. You miss a lesson, you won’t get a second chance. Meet me in the fourth floor Transfiguration classroom.” She turned to leave, but Tom wasn’t quite done with her. </p><p>“No,” he said simply. </p><p>Aurora whirled around. </p><p>“Excuse me?” she asked, incredulous. </p><p>“I said no. Meet me in the seventh-floor corridor. If you’re going to be out after hours at least do it properly.”</p><p>She rolled her eyes again, huffing loudly. </p><p>“Fucking fine then,” she twisted her neck to the side, her face straining with the movement, “Merlin’s tits, are you sure you didn’t do something? I feel like I’ve been crucio’d several times over.” Tom knew she’d meant nothing by the phrasing, but he couldn’t help but wonder-</p><p>“Funnily enough I feel the same.” He replied, testing the water, “I also feel like I’ve smashed my knee into a solid oak table, but I’m sure that’s entirely unrelated.” He watched her eyes widen, laced with both shock and doubt. It was the only confirmation he needed. </p><p>He stood up himself, striding past her, only stopping to lean in ever so slightly towards her ear. </p><p>“Sweet dreams, Rosier.” He whispered before pacing off towards his dorm, watching her remain deadly still in his absence. </p><p>He almost thought he’d heard a muttered <em> this isn’t over </em>, and he was afraid to say he quite agreed. </p><p><em> Yes </em> , <em> very odd indeed </em>. </p><p>*</p><p>Tom’s sleep returned to its usual dreamless state that night, although the dull ache of his muscles took a few days to subside. It put him in a rather sour mood, to say the least, one that was only intensified by the constant presence of an equally brooding Aurora. </p><p>She didn’t speak to him after their encounter in the common room, but he supposed it may have just been her keeping word on the truce they had come to. If you have nothing nice to say, don’t say anything at all and all that old drivel that the Matron used to drill into them as children. </p><p>He did notice her accidentally knocking into furniture more often, however, whether it be catching herself on the table at dinner again or purposely walking into the side of one of the sofas in the evening when the common room was near empty. Every time, she would look immediately to him, for any reaction to contact, also looking away with a disgruntled huff when he seemed completely unaffected. </p><p>The bitch was a fucking sadist, he decided after the fourth day of keeping his face completely straight as pain shot through his leg for the third time in twelve hours. </p><p>The first week back at the castle had been a nightmare, what with the newfound connection to Aurora that he could no longer even attempt to come up with a feasible explanation for. An increase in prefect duties (which Aurora had adamantly refused to participate in with him, instead forcing him to work with a Hufflepuff whose name he hadn’t bothered to learn) on account of the seventh year prefects being given extra time to study had prevented him from scouring the library for any information he could get his hands on. </p><p>Even then, he highly doubted he’d be able to find exactly what was going on. As much as she had denied doing anything, Tom remained open to the idea that she’d accidentally cast something without meaning to, or without thinking. The prospect of Aurora having messed something up so badly entertained him enough to momentarily forget he in no way benefitted from her potential error. </p><p>It all came to a head on the morning of the first full Saturday back at the castle, once again at the breakfast table. Tom was nursing his usual mug of coffee when Aurora traipsed into the hall, eyes deep purple despite her perfectly curled hair and immaculate dress. She looked more exhausted than she had at the manor, which was a feat in itself. </p><p>The night before, Tom had begun to fall into the unfamiliar drawing-room once again, the sight of an emerald clad Aurora training her wand on a girl swimming into view before he’d heard the string of expletives erupt in his head, a mixture of panic and irritation. Turning his head to the side, he’d once again seen a far less put together and scantily clad Aurora rolling her eyes. </p><p>
  <em> Guess I’m not getting any sleep tonight then, for fuck’s sake. </em>
</p><p>Moments later the scene had faded, and Tom had been plunged back into darkness, awaking normally at dawn as though nothing had happened. She’d stopped the dream and consequently looked like death incarnate as she too poured herself an obscenely large mug of coffee. </p><p>She’d barely even brought it to her lips when Lestrange threw himself into the seat next to him, causing her to jump and scalding coffee to cover the entire front of her dress. </p><p>“Merlin, Morgana and Circe’s fucking tits Raoul,” she almost screamed as the hot liquid sloshed over the rim of the mug as she threw it back down onto the table. </p><p>“Rory I’m so sorry-“ Lestrange fussed, drawing his wand and immediately casting drying and cooling charms over Aurora, </p><p>“Holy fucking shit,” Tom grunted, his chest burning as he tried to not give the true extent of his pain away. </p><p>Lestrange’s eyes trailed over to Tom, confusion covering his face. </p><p>“Are you alright, Riddle?” He asked sincerely. </p><p>Tom grimaced as though he were only disapproving and not reaching for his wand to cast a cooling charm for himself, “Just marvelling at your inability to sit down at a table properly, Lestrange,” he snapped a little harsher than intended. </p><p>Despite her burn, Aurora narrowed her eyes, still fanning her hands towards her chest.</p><p>“Shut it, Riddle.” She snarled, eyes all around the two of them averting at her hostility as though nervous they would be the next target. </p><p>He almost wanted to roll his eyes. </p><p>“I only mean to suggest you see Madam Marsite in the Hospital Wing. Cooling charms only do so much for burns, after all.” He drawled, thinking he’d quite like to see the mediwitch himself at that very moment, the cooling charm only having dulled the stinging sensation. </p><p>Aurora only looked slightly taken aback before schooling her features, drawing herself up in her seat. </p><p>“I think you’ll find I’m quite capable of tending to it myself,” she sniffed, snarky as ever. </p><p>Tom only shrugged, standing up and dusting down his slacks without a glance back to the almost empty Slytherin table as he made his way back to the dungeons, the weekend early morning bringing a distinct lack of students to the corridors. He was almost certain that by the time he returned to the dorms, Avery and Malfoy would be no closer to consciousness than they had been when he’d left. </p><p>He had been correct, of course, closing the door to the small bathroom just off the side of the room quietly before casting locking and silencing charms over the door. It was a simple bathroom, with a stone basin and moderately sized shower, the stone walls of the dungeons glistening with condensation. </p><p>He untucked his shirt, quickly undoing the buttons and peeling it off his shoulders as his chest continued to sting. Examining himself in the mirror, he saw no redness or burn mark, but watched the sweat forming along his shoulders and collarbones as the heat settled just under his skin. </p><p>He’d been able to cope with the sofas, and the tables, but fucking third-degree burns were a different kettle of fish entirely. It was ridiculous, what the fuck had they done?</p><p>He huffed again, swiftly dropping them to the floor and stepping into the shower, turning the dial to the coldest setting it would allow before flicking it on. He hissed as the ice water hit him, relishing in the completely different burning sensation he experienced. </p><p>Now, this was a pain he could deal with. The cold was always so much more manageable, so much more comfortable. He relished the relief it provided, his calm resorting as the torrent of freezing water continued to hammer down on him. </p><p>His mind began to wander as he stood there, trying to piece together exactly what had transpired over the week since appearing in Aurora’s dream. He was able to engage with her, even physically feel her touch in that state. </p><p>Not only that, but it appeared as though they were able to feel what the other was feeling, hence why Aurora had mentioned she felt she’d been crucio’d, and he was currently stood in the shower trying to distract from the severe burns she’d inadvertently inflicted on him. </p><p>Yet nothing seemed to compare to knowing the source of all of her raging superiority complex. She was serving Grindelwald. And unless Tom was mistaken, it appeared her place in his ranks was not something of little consequence. </p><p>The longer he mulled over the thought, the more he felt the image of her leant back into his embrace clouding his vision. He could almost hear her voice in his head again, always coming back to the way she purred her words, ‘my lord’ just rolling off her tongue, the goosebumps that erupted across his skin at the sound-</p><p>Only then did he realise what he was doing, standing stark naked in a cold shower with his mind trained on only Aurora and the effect she had on him. He was tempted to Crucio <em> himself </em>then and there, groaning as his head dropped onto the wall beside him. He swore the universe had made it so he would never be able to escape her.</p><p>Was nothing sacred anymore?</p><p>*</p><p>The remainder of Saturday had been no more pleasant, the persistent stinging notifying Tom of Aurora’s inaction in treating the burn. It had been obvious after this forty-minute shower that no matter how much he tried, the ultimate power to stop the pain lay with only her, his mood had soured considerably with every new cooling charm he was forced to cast. </p><p>Aurora pretty much locked herself in her dorm, not even allowing Lestrange entry, and leaving a rather miffed Dorea Black stuck in the common room, unable to get past the locking charms she’d placed on the door. </p><p>Even when he eventually came to sleep, drawing the curtains around his bed, Tom wanted to throttle Lestrange within an inch of his measly, irrelevant life for being dense enough to cause harm to Aurora. His anger was entirely selfish, rooted only in the fact that it had affected him too. </p><p>Or that was what he told himself as he fell asleep. He still didn’t remotely care for her. </p><p>Sunday was hardly much better, although the looming prospect of his first Occlumency lesson provided some kind of goal for the day. For the first time since getting back to the castle, Tom had time to scour the library for any book he could find on magical connections or links, but nothing seemed to match. </p><p>Soul bonds, magical ties, marriage rituals. He looked through them all, but every time he thought he came close, a caveat would appear that rendered the theory impossible. </p><p>It was fucking infuriating. </p><p>His first Knights meeting was no exception to his thus far shit weekend, his want to watch Lestrange doubled over on the floor in pain stronger than ever, though without real reason he felt unable to do so. After all, he strove to be a fair leader, not a cruel one. Or something like that. Seemingly uncalled for torture hardly looked good. </p><p>He thought it would make him seem rather unhinged. Who would ever see fit to use the cruciatus excessively? Oh yes, that stupid blonde bint who was slowly ruining his entire fucking life. Merlin forbid he ever act like her. </p><p>Instead, he remained wholly uninterested in anything any of the boys had to present him, uncaring of how many senile old Wizengamot members they’d managed to wrangle at Malfoy’s little soireé. His focus remained solely on the large clock the room had summoned that evening, watching at the hands slowly moved closer and closer to 11 pm. </p><p>He dismissed the boys at 10:45 pm, cursing time itself for slowing the second he was left alone. He knew he’d have to leave eventually to meet Aurora, but the actual moment couldn’t seem to come soon enough.</p><p>It wasn’t excitement, more anticipation than anything. She’d be forced to be alone with him, to answer any of the questions he could weasel out of her. Just because the holiday was over didn’t mean the deal had to be, did it? He was allowing her free reign over his mind in these lessons overall. </p><p>On the flip side, the girl had thrown a torture curse at him, so maybe she wasn’t feeling quite as generous as she had done. </p><p>10:57 pm finally struck, and Tom took that as notice to leave. He had no idea quite what the room would summon when he reentered, but bid goodbye to his usual throne-looking seat at the peak of the table, knowing full well that whatever it conjured for Aurora would be no less grand.</p><p>He was relieved to find the corridor empty when he emerged, only the sound of heels clicking in the distance providing any sign of human activity. The sound grew closer and closer and his anticipation increased tenfold, his face blank and he suppressed the want to smirk at the now visible head of pale hair marching towards him.</p><p>“Any reason you wanted to meet me in an empty corridor Riddle?” Aurora demanded as she approached, “Do you intend to fuck around the whole time or do you plan to take this seriously?” She stopped just short of him, crossing her arms over her chest. </p><p>Tom winced ever so slightly at the twinge he felt as her arms made contact with her front, starting to pace in front of the wall. </p><p>So, she was feeling rather snippy today too. </p><p>“I assure you, Rosier, I intend to reap every little benefit from these excursions you’ve bestowed upon me,” he drawled, much to her annoyance. </p><p>“You will be reaping nothing but basic skills, you twat.” she hissed, eyes roving up and down the corridor for any sight of prefects on rounds, “Anyway, I’m still waiting for an explanation of the empty- what the <em> fuck </em>is that?” she stilled as the door began to form on the wall behind Tom, who was no longer able to hold back the cocky smirk he wore so well. </p><p>“You made it quite clear the empty corridor was not the training facility you had in mind, so I rectified the issue,” he said simply, reaching for the newly formed silver hand, turning the cold metal in his hand and cracking the door opening, leaving space for her to enter before him. </p><p>“Welcome, Rosier, to the Room of Requirement. I think you’ll find it quite cosy. Is that an Austrian mountain range I see out of that window?”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you once again to my lovely Poppyflwrs for her help! As always, any comments/kudos is very much appreciated!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Semantics</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“What the </span>
  <em>
    <span>fuck</span>
  </em>
  <span> have you done, Riddle?” Aurora seethed as she stared at his detestably smug face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He sighed deeply, gesturing for her to move through the door that had seemingly appeared out of nowhere in front of them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe if you came in instead of making a scene in the corridor I could explain,” he said, having the nerve to look offended when she near enough shoved him out of the way upon entrance, only to stop dead in her tracks at the sight before her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was a library. His library. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Oh for fuck’s sake</span>
  </em>
  <span>, she thought, </span>
  <em>
    <span>he knows, you don’t need to keep pretending this is all a big secret</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was Gellert’s library at Nurmengard Castle. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I-but-how-” she stuttered, her ability to form a coherent sentence ceased by, indeed, the view of the Austrian Alps she was met with out of the great window opposite her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is the Room of Requirement,” Tom explained, causing her to sneer at his condescending tone. “It does as the name suggests, provides whatever the seeker needs. I asked for somewhere you would feel most comfortable teaching Occlumency-” she snorted indignantly as his insinuation of kindness, “and it just so happened that this is what it conjured. I can only assume—”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes it’s exactly what you think it is,” she snapped. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom only continued to smirk. Merlin, she hated him. Or she wanted to, at least.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The night of the duel he’d appeared in her dream. At first, she’d assumed it was the same as her dreams with Raoul, just her mind fucking with her. But the longer he was there, the longer she was forced to listen to his stream of thoughts, and just how real his skin had felt under her fingers, she’d realised it was far more real than she could have ever comprehended. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And then the pain had begun. She’d woken up curled next to Raoul, her whole body feeling as though she’d been forced through a meat processor. It was achingly familiar to the pain caused by the Cruciatus, even though she hadn’t been caught by it. Tom had, though, and he’d looked like death personified the first time she’d seen him getting into that Ministry car. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She’d stayed out of his way as much as possible that day, not wanting to have the conversation she knew would be imminent. She’d done exceedingly well too, right up until she’d slammed her own leg into a table and caused him to wince, glaring at her as though he’d just kicked him in the bollocks. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Facing off with him in the common room hadn’t been her finest decision of the century, but it’d served its purpose. She had organised the first lesson she was tied down to and confirmed that he’d actually seen the dream. Her only solace was that she had an inkling of what could have caused it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Granted, if it was the case, throwing herself off of the Astronomy Tower or taking an </span>
  <em>
    <span>Avada</span>
  </em>
  <span> to the face would be incredibly tempting. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Subtly knocking into furniture all week had been her way of establishing a basic understanding of just what was happening, but Tom, ever the petulant man child, had refused to give her any reaction. The fact it took her giving herself severe burns to even garner his gaze was, quite frankly, fucking ridiculous, but Aurora was nothing if not thorough and she’d be damned if she let him get away with maintaining his composure when she just wanted to free herself of him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It had taken roughly two hours to convince Raoul that he wasn’t to blame for the little coffee incident the day before, but ‘No darling, I only used your entrance as an excuse to pour scalding coffee on my tits,’ didn’t quite have the ring to it that she was aiming for. The sleepless night in avoidance of having to endure Tom’s observation of her killing someone also contributed, but that was yet another thing Raoul was better off not knowing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Healing spells were simple enough, and it would have taken less than five minutes for her to heal the burns straight away, but she knew that just enough Occluding would render her physically numb to any pain, she healed the surface wounds and left the internal stinging be. If Tom wanted to be a bitch, then he could suffer a little. She revelled in her sadistic tendencies, sometimes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The thought was enough to almost make her chuckle a bit. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Amused?” Tom questioned at her slowly forming smile. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, not at this at all no,” she gestured around the room, “I just had a thought.” he stared at her blankly as she reached for her wand, pointing it at her chest. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Episkey Aqua,” she whispered, watching the light blue water-like stream pass straight through her blouse and settling over her chest, supposedly relieving the pain she should have been feeling. Tom’s reaction was confirmation enough of the charm’s success. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looked at her dumbfounded, his own hand flat against his chest, looking as though he couldn’t quite decide what emotion he was feeling at that moment. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You knew how to heal it the whole time?” he finally said, incredulous by the looks of it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora smiled as she tucked her wand back into her robes, snorting. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course I could heal it this whole time. I just didn’t need to.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He raised an eyebrow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I couldn’t feel it,” she shrugged, offering nothing else in response. She wanted to see him question her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You couldn’t feel the extreme burning caused by the boiling hot coffee you had spilt down on you yesterday morning?” he sounded as though he was trying to rationalise what she was saying, and failing to do so. It flipped her awful mood almost instantly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, I couldn’t, Riddle. Could you?” she teased, smiling wickedly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know I could, you little chit,” he said, now sneering viciously at her, “How can you simply not feel it? I’ve been casting cooling charms every ten minutes for the last thirty-eight hours and you could have healed it this whole time? What the fuck is wrong with-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Occlumency.” she cut in. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He stopped immediately, his eyes searching hers as though he didn’t believe her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry?” he asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Occlumency.” she repeated, sounding the word out like she was teaching it to a toddler, “I simply closed off the part of my brain that processes pain. I couldn’t feel a thing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Silence stretched out between them as he took in what she’d just said. Eventually, Tom sighed, dropping himself into an armchair close to him (Aurora had to remind herself that this wasn’t Nurmengard, and he hadn’t just sat in Gellert’s actual seat), massaging his temples. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I suppose this was some sort of lesson precursor?” he finally said, looking up at her through his hands. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oh, he was so academically minded. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It wasn’t actually, I was just trying to be a bitch if I’m being quite honest, but if you’d like to take it as your introduction to Occlumency then that’s fine by me,” she said boldly, dropping into the armchair opposite him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was delightfully similar to the real thing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, Rosier, pray do tell how these lessons will work. I’d only assume you try to penetrate my thoughts and I try to resist?” Tom said confidently, leaning back into the armchair as he ran his hands down the armrests. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She’d considered it, initially. Just hammer into his head until he was forced to learn how to either shut everything off or faint. Yet she knew it would be pointless. He would learn how to occlude eventually and being difficult about it wouldn’t do either of them any good. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It would be a waste of her time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No.” she replied firmly, enjoying the shock that flashed across his face, “Today, you’re going to use Legilimency on me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was how she’d learnt, after all. What was the point in learning something if you didn’t even know what it looked like done properly? Granted, she’d been taught by one of the most wanted wizards in the world, so maybe her education wasn’t quite as conventional as she’d liked to believe, but it had worked nonetheless. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I believe my interest just peaked unfathomably,” Tom smirked, slowly reaching for his wand. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah-ah-ah” she tutted, motioning for his hand to lower from his inside pocket, rolling her eyes at the newfound excitement, “You aren’t getting unlimited access, I’m still an excellent Occlumens and you a mediocre Legilimens,” he scowled, “at best,” she added just for the sake of it.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He sighed, “Are the insults necessary? I was under the impression you called a truce?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I did. And then you tried to kill me - don’t interrupt, I know I tried too but you honestly had it coming - and now it appears I share some sort of connection with you that I certainly didn’t intentionally trigger, and I can’t help but be slightly suspicious. So forgive anything that comes out unconsciously. A Freudian slip, if you will.” Tom stared at her as she smiled mildly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Freud was a muggle psychologist.” was all he said slowly in response. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora threw her hands up in the air, letting them fall limply at her side as she huffed, “Really? We’re back to questioning my sources of reference now? And for your information, Sigmund was a wizard. Gellert was of his acquaintance when he lived in Austria.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“First name basis with a brain doctor and a Dark Lord are we? Am I supposed to be impressed?” Tom shot back mockingly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’d hope you were if you wanted me to help you, Riddle.” she snapped.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He remained silent, and Aurora took it as a sign of him conceding. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Very well. The most basic purpose of Occlumency is resistance to Legilimency. The finer details such as compartmentalising memories and emotions, creating false memories and masking how one truly feels need far more practice. Today, you’re going to see a memory I’m presenting on the surface of my mind. I want you to know how it feels to be pushed out of someone’s head, so you’re better able to replicate it yourself. Is that simple enough?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She didn’t stop him from reaching for his wand this time, watching as he drew the yew from his robe, “I believe so, yes. Do I get to know what I’ll be seeing in your head?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora grinned malevolently, “It’s a surprise. I’m keeping everything else locked, so you’ll only see what I want you to see. And just so you know, the memory I’m placing underneath is a rather </span>
  <em>
    <span>private</span>
  </em>
  <span> moment with me and Raoul. I’m all about incentives, you see, and this is in place to stop you from pushing too far.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And what if I happen to be a voyeur?” he baited. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then you’ll end up with another broken nose.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Surely it would hurt you just as much as me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shut the fuck up and cast the fucking spell before I decide this is a waste of my time, Riddle.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His wand was immediately trained on her, pointed directly at her forehead.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Legilimens.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>*</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>She felt him in the back of her mind, his presence tugging at the back of her skull. Despite every instinct telling her to shut down completely, Aurora brought the memory forward, opening it up for his viewing pleasure. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>It was towards the end of fourth year, she was stood in the second-floor girl’s bathroom with Thea and Dorea, Olive having sulked off after being chided for moaning about her Divination exam. The three fifteen-year-olds were crowded around the sinks, laughing at a joke one of them had made. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Their attention was averted at the sound of the door swinging open behind them, two girls having walked in together. The sight of the Slytherin’s had them looking as though they’d just had sour milk forced under their noses.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Aurora’s laugh halted immediately, her face settling into a sneer at the new arrivals. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Well, if it isn’t out very own Princess and her loyal subjects,” Erin Morsia cackled, throwing her straw-like, heavily peroxided hair over her shoulder. Gryffindor may be the brave lot, but they certainly were not the most gifted with beauty charms. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“And if it isn’t Gryffindor’s resident banshee,” Aurora snarled back, “What do you want, Morsia? Here to try and cast an abysmal bat bogey hex again to me again, or are you going to force your little lap dog to do it for you?” she gestured towards the Ravenclaw girl next to her.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Thea stiffened next to her. “‘Rora you really don’t need to do this right now, they aren’t worth the time,” she whispered, only for Erin to cackle even shriller than she had before. God, she could compete with Olive for having the most irritating laugh. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“That’s it, Rosier, listen to your royal adviser. I’d hardly waste my time actively seeking you out of all people, just because you think you’re the almighty doesn’t mean all of a sudden everyone is clamouring to kiss your pampered little feet.” her companion giggled, and Aurora’s eyes snapped to her. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“And who might you be? I vaguely recall your face but you hardly seem important enough for me to have retained your name.” she snarked, watching the rush to her face at the direct address. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I’ve been in the same year as you since the sorting, Rosier.” Was all she offered, and Aurora dramatically rolled her eyes, her question remaining very much unanswered. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“She’s just being a bitch, Floss,” Erin cut in, shooting a nasty looking towards the three opposite her, “I wouldn’t pay any mind to it. I’m simply here to use the facilities, hopefully without having to worry about being watched by snakes.” She added as though it were the nastiest insult she could come up with. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>God, some of these Gryffindors were fucking pathetic. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Morsia, I hardly worry myself with the biological needs of half-bloods, don’t flatter yourself.”  </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>She watched as Erin’s cheeks flushed red, taking a deep breath at the jab towards her blood status. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Rora, calm down.” Thea hissed from next to her, but Aurora’s retort went unspoken as the thus-far timid Ravenclaw spoke up.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Blood statuses don’t mean anything.” She said boldly, “Your prejudice is baseless, she isn’t any different to you. Erin is twice the woman you’ll ever be.” The girl - Floss, Erin had called her - now stood with her chest puffed out, staring down Aurora who studied her through narrowed eyes. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Ah, you see, my lovely little Raven friend, blood status is </span>
  </em>
  <span>everything</span>
  <em>
    <span>.” She said slowly, very much enjoying how tomato like Erin now looked, “And Erin could never even dream to match up to the likes of me, or Thea and Dorea here, no matter how much Gryffindor pride she has stored in that delusional brain of hers.” She chanced a look over her shoulder, towards the smirking Dorea and somewhat put out Thea, before returning to Floss, “We’re born and bred for magical greatness. Morsia there is a stain upon the very name of magic. She may as well be a mudblood.” She spat the final word, watching Floss’s eyes widen. </span>
  </em>
</p><p><em><span>“Struck a nerve, have I?” She taunted, vaguely hearing Thea muttering under her breath behind her, “Don’t tell me I’m in the presence of a half-blood </span></em><span>and</span><em><span> a</span></em> <em><span>mudblood,” </span></em></p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Both girls remained silent, both looking as though any more blood circulating in the capillaries below their skin would cause them to burst.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“You think you’re so fucking clever, don’t you Rosier?” Erin finally said, her body practically shaking with rage. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I do actually, yes,” Aurora confirmed, nodding her head and hearing Dorea’s chuckle at the nonchalance. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“At least my mother doesn’t whore herself out to every Wizengamot member she can get her hands-on,” she fired in yet another weak attempt to be on the offensive again. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Aurora just rolled her eyes again. Her mother’s escapades were hardly a secret to her, or half of Wizarding Britain clearly. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Yeah, yeah, I’ve heard it all before. You really ought to come up with something more creative or learn how to fire a hex half decently, Morsia, our little meetings are starting to get boring.” </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Only one of us needs to be able to fire a spell properly. Flipendo!”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Aurora, too distracted by Erin’s incessant babbling, had missed Floss’s hand reaching towards the pocket of her robes and drawing out her wand until she spoke. She felt herself slam back into the basin behind her, pain tearing through her lower back at the impact. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Erin’s eyes widened towards her smaller friend as Thea and Dorea both reached for their wands. This was shocking enough in itself—Thea despised Aurora’s violent streak and Dorea rarely engaged in any form of confrontation aside from being a background presence and intermittently helping with the clean up. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>But the rush of adrenaline Aurora felt was enough for her to push straight back up to her feet, her wand immediately drawn and trained on Floss’s chest. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” She demanded.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I didn’t mean to do that I-“ she forced out, just as Erin seemed to come back to reality.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“For the love of God, Floss, don’t apologise to her she deserved it!” She exclaimed, and Aurora felt the blood rushing past her ears.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Flicking her wand towards Erin, she sneered, “Did I say you could talk? Silencio.” </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Floss’s face was painted with fear as Erin opened and closed her mouth wordlessly, trying and failing to cast the counter charm nonverbally. She gulped at the sight of the fast-approaching Aurora, backing into the wall behind her, not realising just how far from the door she’d moved. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“No running away this time,” Aurora said almost gleefully, “did you really think I’d let a filthy little mudblood get away with trying to hex me? It’ll take more than a stupid little knockback jinx.” </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Floss quivered as Aurora’s wand dug into her neck. She was dimply aware of Erin somewhere behind her, but the lack of interruption suggested that Thea or Dorea had her subdued. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I told you, I’ll always be magically superior. My blood may as well be fucking golden compared to the mud that runs through your veins.” She punctuated the remark by bringing her wand tip up the Ravenclaw’s cheek, slicing swiftly across the skin.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Floss gasped as blood began to form along the newly formed cut, tears forming in her eyes. Aurora smiled as she drew the wand back, examining the blood that now stained the end of the dark wood. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Aurora, stop </span>
  </em>
  <span>now</span>
  <em>
    <span>,” Thea warned from behind her, but once again, she paid no attention. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>With another flick, the deep crimson turned to a deep brown, as the blood transfigured into thick mud.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“See?” She said pointedly, grabbing Floss’s jaw and forcing her to look at the wand, “you’re fucking filthy. You’ll never be worth a Knut in our world. You and your disgusting muggle family aren’t even worthy of cleaning the fucking toilets at my estate.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>The tears spilt over, running down the girl’s face as Aurora held her in place, sneering at the snivelling little Ravenclaw. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Rora, I don’t know what the hell you think you’re doing but if anyone hears about this then Dippet will expel you faster than-“ Thea began again, but promptly ceased when she saw just how murderous Aurora looked. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Then it’s a good thing neither will snitch, isn’t it?” She replied, tightening her grip on Floss’s face, “Dorea, do me a favour and obliviate Morsia, her mouth is too big for her own good and I’d rather not deal with her possibly gaining her memories back.” She threw over her shoulder, watching the mass of black curls striding over towards the bound Gryffindor who was still trying her best to scream despite the silencing charm. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“And the mudblood?” Thea questioned. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Aurora smiled. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Tongue-tying curse should do it. I can’t have her forgetting where she stands can I?” She jerked Floss’s head up and down as the tears continued to pour down her face, feigning an agreeing nod, “She’ll remember everything that happened here, how she thought herself good enough to try and beat me, only to realise she was sorely mistaken, resulting in the obviation of her friend and the little reminder I’ve given her.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Thea sighed from behind her as Dorea made her way back over. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Morsia is stupefied at the moment, I’ve wiped her memory from the moment she walked into the bathroom. I’ll lift the stunner when we leave.” She deadpanned, and Aurora shot her a grateful look. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Dorea had always been excellent at cleaning up after Aurora.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Now, back to the mudblood.” She ran her wand back over the cut on Floss’s face, digging it into the skin, drawing more blood and allowing it to mingle with the mud that still decorated the wand tip, “Such a shame to have to get rid of this, maybe I’ll get to decorate your face more in the future if I’m lucky.” </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>The Ravenclaw snivelled, swallowing hard, “Wh-why are yo-you so-so cruel?” She forced out between sobs, making Aurora throw her head back in laughter. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Oh, my dear, dear, mudblood.” She cooed, “I’m not cruel, if anything I’m doing you a favour. Did you know my great-grandfather used to buy mudbloods out of Azkaban and use them as target practice in his duelling exercises? Regrettably, such acts are now illegal, but that’s all you’ll ever be seen as in our world. Fucking nothing.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Floss didn’t respond immediately, her face still painted with the horror of finding out her kind were hunted for sport only a matter of years ago. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Reparifors,” Aurora whispered, watching the skin slowly knit itself back together, accompanied by the relieved gasp of the patient at hand. “There we go, like nothing ever happened. And it will stay that way.” Aurora wordlessly cast the tongue-tying curse, something she’d learnt to do very early on. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>If someone didn’t know you were casting the spell, you always had the advantage. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>She released Floss’s face roughly, the imprints of her nails having caused faint crescent shapes in her cheeks. She stumbled away from the wall, eyes wide with fear as she fell to Erin’s side, checking her over for any physical injury. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Aurora lost count of how many times she’d rolled her eyes that evening. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Morsia will be fine. Dorea here doesn’t share my taste in slightly more harsh discipline for our inferiors.” She snarked. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Thea and Dorea now flanked Aurora, the triangular formation they’d created increasing the already heavily intimidating aura she exuded. Floss seemed to only shake more as the three sets of eyes bore down upon her. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Now, are you going to pull yourself together so we can wake her up? Or are would going got continue crying like a scolded toddler.” She said, the corner of her lip turning up as the girl used her robe sleeves to wipe away the residual tears trailing down her cheeks, taking a deep breath and sitting back on her knees. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I-I’m fine.” She said, voice wavering as her lower lip trembled, “I won’t say anything.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Of course you won’t. If you try, your tongue will fix itself to the roof of your mouth and only I’ll be able to perform the counter curse. I can tell you now I won’t help you if it happens.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Floss nodded quickly, bringing another sleeve up to wipe her eyes. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Excellent. I believe we’re done here then. I hear too much exposure to mudbloods can cause blemishes from the filth. Dorea, bring back Morsia for us please.” With that, Aurora turned on her heel, opening the door and marching out into the almost empty corridor, only faintly hearing the muttered ‘rennervate’ Dorea had cast. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>They were almost halfway back towards the dungeons before Thea tugged on Aurora’s sleeve, pulling her sharply into an empty potions classroom. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“What the fuck was that?” She hissed, eyebrows raised awaiting an answer. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Aurora shrugged, “She disrespected me. I acted accordingly.” </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“No, ‘Rora. You just tortured a girl in the school bathrooms.” </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“At least it wasn’t a cruciatus.” Dorea cut in. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Not helpful, Black.” Dorea reeled at the use of her surname, eyes narrowing at the irate Thea.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“She’s a mudblood, Thea, and she won’t be able to snitch. If it’d been my father who’d had at her-“</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“You are NOT your father, Aurora.” Thea snapped. “You are a fifteen-year-old who has a reputation for throwing jelly-leg-jinxes and enlarging people’s ears for a laugh. Where did you even learn to do that shit?” </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Aurora faltered for a moment, Thea’s language so out of character that it took her a moment to register this was her best friend she was speaking to, not her aunt, or mother. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“You know I find the curriculum smothering, Thea, I do extra reading.” </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Thea laughed coldly, “Extra reading? On what? How to torment fellow students when they’re trying to use the bathroom.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I wasn’t going to let a half-blood and a-“</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Mudblood disrespect you. Yes, I know,” Thea interrupted. “That doesn’t make it right.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>It was Aurora who laughed this time. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“When have I ever cared what was right? Or you, for that matter. You’ve always stood by and watched me hex people.” She challenged, watching the fire rise in Thea’s eyes.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Yes. I watched you hex people. Not torture them. I know I can’t stop you from doing whatever this is,” she gestured towards Aurora as a whole, only to be met with an almighty scowl, “but I want no part of it.” She didn’t even wait for a response before she turned and left, leaving Dorea and Aurora alone.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Well,” Dorea said, breaking the silence that had settled in Thea’s wake, “That could’ve gone better.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Aurora shrugged again, “She’ll get over it eventually. It’s not like I killed anyone.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Dorea’s eyes fixed on Aurora inquisitively, but she said nothing. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“It’s getting late,” Aurora glanced down at her watch, starting to massage the portion of her lower back that she’d only just registered the faint twinge in from hitting the sinks, nothing that it was almost curfew, “I suppose we ought to get back to the common room before Slughorn has us scrubbing cauldrons with toothbrushes for a month.” </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Dorea snorted, her face turning from curiosity to amusement, “Yeah right, like he’ll punish his favourite pureblood.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Aurora smirked, “Oh I know, but it’s the sentiment that counts right?”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>The scene began to fade into nothingness as Aurora turned to reach towards the door, the walls of her mind pushing further and further forward until nothing was left there to see. Her eyes snapped open. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>*</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom was smirking at her from across the room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, that was certainly enlightening.” He remarked, tucking his wand back into his robe pocket. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora grinned, “A personal favourite of mine. I have such fond memories of that day.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He appeared to consider her for a moment, eyes trailing over her as his fingers laced together in his lap. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Selwyn doesn’t agree with your views?” He asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thea believes what she needs to believe. She’s by no means a muggle-lover but she never was a fan of violence. That was the last time she ever helped me with my little interventions.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You mean your torture sessions?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Semantics.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom smiled at her quip. A wide, genuine smile that almost knocked the air out of Aurora’s lungs. She realised she’d never seen him smile. She’d seen him laugh, of course, New Year’s Eve had been full of laughter, but just smiling? Never. </span>
</p><p>
  <span> She must’ve been staring, as he raised a challenging eyebrow. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Enjoying what you see, Rosier?” He taunted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora opted to ignore him, clearing her throat and passing forward with what they were really there for. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did you feel me pushing back when I expelled you from the memory?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom’s brow furrowed slightly, “I did, like I was being shut off bit by bit. Like a wall being put up, stopping me from seeing anything else. And when I was viewing the memory, I could almost feel the wall behind the image.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora nodded, “Like a projection. I was showing you what I wanted to, keeping everything else behind the barrier. That barrier is what I keep up at all times, and why you’ve never been able to get past me. It’s always there, I’m just able to push it forward or pull it back when I need to. Understand?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I believe so.” He replied pensively, “Although I must admit, the actual memory itself has left me with far more questions than just the Occlumency.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She leant back into her seat, arms crossing over her chest, “Is that so?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did you expect me to just watch you torture-“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“For the last fucking time, it was not torture! She’s still sane-“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Semantics,” he said, and Aurora scowled as he echoed her earlier words, “As I was saying, you expect me to watch something like that and just shrug it off?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not necessarily, I just thought it would be a bit more entertaining than making you watch me studying or whatnot.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He snorted, “An understatement.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They sat in silence for a moment, and Aurora let her eyes roam over the room. Since sitting down, she hadn’t allowed herself a moment to really take in her surroundings. Of course, she’d seen the window and the chairs, but upon further inspection, she found that the room was truly an exact replica of the private library she was so fond of. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The towering bookcases contained every book she could remember and every trinket that adorned the tables and cabinets, not a hairsbreadth out of place. Even the view seemed to move, snow falling gently just beyond the glass, coating the mountains in thick white snow. Paris had been home for so long, but Austria was like something else completely. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Governesses and Nannies had read her innumerable fairy tales growing up, each containing princesses, castles, dragons and goblins. Most girls would only ever dream of having their own castle to roam, to command, but Aurora had been granted as such. Nurmengard was her real-life fairytale castle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The small matter of it also being a high-security prison was irrelevant. The screaming of tortured prisoners being hauled into the cells just added character to the place. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Penny for your thoughts?” Tom drawled, drawing her out of the daydream. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just marvelling at how accurate the room is. It’s like I’m actually there.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom was smirking again, “I can’t say I know where ‘there’ is, but the view is quite obviously Austria. Putting two and two together, I’d guess we’re somewhere in Grindelwald’s stronghold?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You could put Sherlock Holmes out of his job.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He sighed deeply, “I would be offended, but once again I’m more intrigued. Arthur Conan Doyle…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wizard. Did you really think muggles would be smart enough to come up with half the things I reference?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How very humble of you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think we’re past the point of being under any illusions of me being remotely humble, Riddle.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He only nodded, face brandished with seldom hidden amusement. The space around them seemed to have settled, the tension that had formed upon entrance dissipating into the warm air of the open library.</span>
</p><p>
  <span> It was a strange feeling, sitting almost amicably with Tom Riddle. Granted, the time in Malfoy Manor had been perfectly civil, but it had been more a business exchange than anything. This felt different. He was benefiting from it, of course, but she hadn’t needed to call the meeting immediately. It had just felt like the right thing to do. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As if something was drawing her to him-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You implied you could feel what I was feeling, and vice versa, just how badly were you burnt yesterday?” She asked suddenly, thoughts trailing back to her first theory she’d come up with during sleepless nights avoiding him and her dreams. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He considered the question for a moment, hand trailing over the centre of his chest as he bit the inside of his mouth in thought. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well,” he began slowly, “It felt as though I had had a full mug of coffee thrown directly at me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Exactly as it would feel to be burnt by liquid?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can’t say I’ve ever managed to give myself third-degree burns before, but if I had to imagine how it felt I’d say it was pretty close.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And cooling charms didn’t work?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No. Not as a long term solution anyway.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She hummed, mind reeling back to everything she knew about magical bonds. Something had happened after that duel, something that had become hazy and flitted in and out of her memory. She’d remembered the kickback, being thrown into the air by her own magic and the cage it’d formed around them, but everything else was clouded. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pain. She remembered pain beyond anything she’d ever felt. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora knew she’d read about a certain type of magic bond before, but the idea that they’d done such a thing was completely mad. SHe’d thought it best not to mention anything until she was certain, Merlin forbid he decided to use it against her in any way. Lest she be tempted to use it against him beforehand. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom cleared his throat and stared pointedly down at the watch the Malfoys had presented him with the week prior. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, Rosier, this has been most enlightening,” he said coolly, “but I’m afraid it’s nearing midnight and I would rather avoid the detention should we be caught out of bed past midnight. I’m not sure even I could blag that one.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora sighed, the prospect of having to leave the room causing more sadness than she’d initially anticipated. Grazing her hand over the worn, dark velour of her armchair absentmindedly, she took a final sweep of the room, trying to memorise exactly where and how everything looked. She hadn’t been able to visit over Christmas as she usually would, after all. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Despite the initial shock when Tom had opened the door for her, Aurora had taken heed when he’d said the room had adjusted to whatever would be most comfortable for her to teach in. Merlin, did she miss this place. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you lost in thought or electing to just ignore me?” Tom asked impatiently, arms now crossed over his chest and his foot tapping lightly on the floor as if he were a professor asking her for an overdue essay.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rolling her eyes, she pushed herself to her feet, smoothing out her skirt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span> “The latter.” She smirked, walking straight past him towards the door as the scowl broke over his features. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He mumbled something under his breath along the lines of ‘</span>
  <em>
    <span>most difficult witch I’ve ever fucking met</span>
  </em>
  <span>’, yet she couldn’t feel any malice there. It sounded teasing, even, the same way Avery so loved to talk to her. Friendly, possibly?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Which was fucking ridiculous. Aurora and Tom were not friends. Not in the slightest. They never ere and never would be, he was detestable in every sense of the word, she couldn’t stand him. The fact he was the only student to ever come close to intellectually challenging her, and how his laugh was enough to twist her stomach was completely irrelevant. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Before she knew it, she was the entrance to the Slytherin common room, her thoughts had carried her the whole way down from the seventh-floor corridor without her even realising. She hadn’t even registered that Tom had fallen in step next to her until he was muttering the password, the grinding of the stones shifting to form the entrance filling her ears. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He didn’t make a move to enter, only looked down at her, gesturing vaguely towards the archway. Her brow furrowed, causing him to huff. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did you plan to stand outside in the corridor all evening or are you going in?” It was the second sarcastic question he’d asked her in the last twenty minutes, making a great show to let her know his patience was running thin. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was meaning for her to enter before him, and the display of manners from him had her rather taken aback. Not that Tom wasn’t composed, or didn’t have basic manners, he just never tended to extend them beyond classrooms or social events. He was far too much of a prick. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She walked in, nonetheless, the hair on the back of her neck standing on end as she passed him. What the fuck was wrong with her? She had a bloody boyfriend, for Circe’s sake. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora wanted to go to bed. She wanted to be alone, to occlude until she could no longer feel anymore. Making a beeline for her dorm, she came to a halt at the sound of his voice yet again from jest behind her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you for tonight, Rosier. It was most informative.” The teasing lilt of Tom’s voice was back, gooseflesh erupting fully along her arms. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Turning, Aurora found Tom standing far closer to her than she’d anticipated. She hoped to every deity she could think of the common room was empty. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I said I’d give you your lessons. I’m only following through with my word.” She said dismissively, trying to ignore the mere foot of space he had allowed between them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Still. I only wanted to ask,” he began, tongue darting out of his mouth to wet his lower lip, “why that memory exactly. Why that girl?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She inhaled sharply. He was trying to get her to admit something, she knew exactly what he looked like when he was manipulating someone. The fake charm, the manners, all of it. It suddenly all made sense. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t like Ravenclaws.” She shrugged. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom’s eyes seemed to gleam. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is that so?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s what I said.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And why would that be?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora remained silent. In all honesty, she didn’t know why. She just felt an aversion to the fucking bird house that particular evening and felt like relieving that moment. She didn’t verbalise any of this, but Tom nodded knowingly as if he’d been able to hear her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t need to hear the answer, of course, I just had my own little theories.” He said, beginning to turn away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Excuse me?” Aurora demanded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He stopped, head turned to the side, leaving his face barely illuminated by the low candlelight, just enough to see the corner of his mouth turned up ever so slightly, “Oh, I was only recalling a certain conversation from New Year’s Eve when a select few Ravenclaws were mentioned and your reaction was similar to how I’d imagine a spoilt child would look watching their friend being given a nicer toy than their own to play with.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora opened her mouth to respond with some other snarky comment, but the real gravity of what he’d implied hit her before she could get it out. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You think I’m jealous of the Ravenclaw you fucked because Raoul knew who she was immediately?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom’s smile widened, his teeth bared wickedly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No. I think you’re jealous of the Ravenclaw because I fucked her.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her mouth dropped open. He was still smiling. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re insane.” She hissed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Insane doesn’t always mean wrong.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora could feel the heat creeping up her neck the longer she stood there facing a very smug-looking Tom Riddle. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course you’re fucking wrong!” She spat, no longer caring how quiet she was. If she woke up the whole of Slytherin house, she wouldn’t care. How dare he suggest such a thing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He only shrugged, still smiling down at her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“As I said, only a theory.” He remarked, and Aurora thought her skin would start steaming any moment she felt so angry.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A theory. Unproven.” She snapped.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“For now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Without another word, she spun, headed straight for her dorm, leaving Tom where he was in the common room. She hurtled into the bathroom, changing as quickly as she could, not allowing herself any time to mull over his words. She should have known it was too good to be true, that her working with Tom cooperatively was nothing more than an illusion. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They would never be friends, she reminded herself. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But as she lay in bed, Aurora found herself questioning why she had really felt as angry as she had. She was a spoken-for woman, of course, and Tom’s words painted her as some sort of harlot, something she would never do to Raoul. Of course she would never develop feelings for someone else when she had Raoul. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Right?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Part of her suddenly felt the need to climb out of her bed, tiptoe over to the boy’s room and curl up next to him, confirmation to herself that it was him and only him that she wanted. The other half of her still wanted to occlude into nothingness, conscious that despite sharing a bed with Raoul, she would be sharing a room with Tom. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The thought had always seemed to appeal to her, a way to boast of her happiness to him indirectly, so why could she now only feel like it would be a disservice to Raoul? Her feelings towards Tom were nothing more than resentment, the same as they’d always been. The only thing that had changed was there was now a shred of respect shared between them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>If you could even call accusing someone of being unfaithful as respect. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Raoul was perfect. He was sweet, kind and respectful, he never questioned anything she did, never got in the way. He was happy to stand by and support her in any way she needed, not to mention being very easy on the eyes. An image of him formed in her head, all dark curls and bright eyes, smiling lovingly at her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Without prompting, the image began to change. For a split second, she worried she had fallen asleep, and this was yet another dream where she would watch herself slit his throat, but no drawing-room appeared, still aware of the bed beneath her and her hands tangled in the sheets. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Instead, the curls became tidier, lightening and his eyes darkened, smile turning to a smirk. His soft features sharpened, freckles melting away into the blank expanse of more tanned skin than had developed. Before she knew it, it was Tom who was floating in her mind.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>She groaned loudly into her pillow. The evening had been a mistake. She should have just used a memory of her studying, but instead, she’d gotten overconfident and fucked the whole thing up for herself. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Visiting Raoul was not an option, she decided. Instead, Aurora slowly turned onto her back, staring up to the canopy of her bed. With each extra barrier she constructed within her mind, the finer details of the heavy green cotton that shrouded her seemed to fade until she was only vaguely aware of her surroundings. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As the world turned cold and her mind shut off, Aurora gave in to another sleepless night. </span>
</p><p>
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  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>As always, thank you Poppyflwrs for all her help! I'm very grateful for every comment/kudos that has been left on this story so far, it really means a lot! :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Heart-Shaped Cookies</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tom knew he’d completely thrown off Aurora. </p><p>After their parting in the common room on Sunday night, she’d refused to look him in the eye. Not over breakfast, lunch or dinner, not in classes and certainly not in any free time, most of which she spent in the library with Lestrange. January was reaching its end before she’d as much asked him to pass her the sugar in the mornings.</p><p>She’d returned to completing prefect duties with him, although every encounter remained silent, a few paces behind him and power-walking back down to her dorm as soon as their time slot was completed. </p><p>He thought he’d be more satisfied with his achievement. He was sorely mistaken. </p><p>Every time he swung his leg a bit too hard into his bed frame getting up in the morning, or every time he felt the sting of too hot water hitting his back in the evenings, Tom was reminded that taunting her was no longer going to be fun. There would be no more proverbial winning until he could figure out exactly why they were having shared sensations. </p><p>It was proven already that when they worked together, research was a walk in the park, however, he suspected that he’d blown his chances of having an amicable Aurora after his comment after their little lesson those few weeks before. He hadn’t meant to be so inflammatory, but it almost came naturally by that point. </p><p>He’d spent the whole evening watching her reactions to him, the curiosity she displayed when he smiled and the gooseflesh that decorated her skin when he’d purposely made her walk too close to him when entering the common room. The simple matter of attraction was a fair observation, in his mind, but the complications that it would entail for her made the suggestion all the more impactful.</p><p>He hadn’t meant for Ravenclaw to tie in so perfectly. A happy accident, if you will. Watching her terrorizing that girl had stirred something within him, a feeling he once again couldn’t quite place. </p><p>Tom had always known there was a way you were meant to feel towards people you cared for, towards the people you wanted to protect. </p><p>Even just the people you fucked.</p><p>He had also always known he had never once felt anything other than complete detachment. To him, every girl he’d even had batting her eyelashes when he walked past or hinted of her availability was nothing more than somewhere to dip his wick. Faceless, mostly nameless. </p><p>Except for Eliza Fawley. </p><p>Nothing in Tom’s mind stood out quite as much as his memory of Aurora watching him play Veritaserum or dare. Whilst Malfoy and Avery had been nothing but impressed, Tom had focused only on her. </p><p>He’d watched her eyes darken, even as she leant against Lestrange’s chest. He’d watched as she overtly sneered as the boys continued to speak of her, making a conscious effort to insult both Tom and Fawley, announcing that she thought it was a lie. It wasn’t something he’d given much thought to until she’d forced him to watch her torture a housemate, and the nagging in the back of his mind told him that there was something subliminal trying t be communicated. </p><p>Tom was a firm believing in being straight to the point however and saw it fit to ask her directly. If he was going to have to put up with his mind running back to her as he showered every day (something that had become more and more frequent, as well as more and more bothersome), then she could at least have a shred of doubt placed in her mind about where her real feelings lay. </p><p>The only person he’d failed to consider was Lestrange. The boy was clearly besotted, despite knowing that what he was doing was only out of necessity. The signet ring she wore on her little finger told him all he needed to know about where Lestrange stood. He was a complete idiot. The plan had always been an extension of his punishment doled out in the first September meeting of the year, but Tom was certain that the inevitable end for them would be worse than any curse he placed on his follower. </p><p>His only job had been to draw Aurora in, just enough for Tom to snag her into his ranks before anything went too far. All he'd accomplished by that point was near enough proposed to her.</p><p>Aurora had been far less committal. She wore the ring but spent hours a day fiddling with it, twisting it around absentmindedly, or sliding it up and down her finger in class. Every study of human behaviour Tom had ever read told him she was displaying the signs of extensive consideration of a significant other, and leaning heavily towards negative thoughts. Some even went as far as to suggest infidelity. </p><p>It was still damn-near impossible to get either of them alone, but there was an undeniable shift in the way they were both acting. Lestrange seemed almost nervous around her after the coffee incident, as though she were made of glass threatening to break any moment. </p><p>The frustration practically radiated off of her, although Tom could see she was consciously trying to not show it. He’d considered on more than one occasion commenting on it, but he knew better than to say anything more to jeopardise the strange acquaintanceship he’d made with her.</p><p>Instead, life had returned to almost the exact same as it had been before Christmas. With the addition of the shower thoughts, of course. </p><p>Everything felt right, yet so incredibly wrong at the same time. He’d noticed that the warmth he had become so accustomed to feeling around Aurora had ceased ever since the return to the castle, right when the shared sensations had begun. </p><p>His idea of normal had been dug up and flipped on its head in a way that only he would have been able to pinpoint, and in a way he would be damned to tell anyone about. Even her, despite her involvement. </p><p>Had she known about the effect she’d always had on him? Was she just playing coy, as he’d been suspicious of, and purposely done something to fuck with him, even if it meant she suffered too?</p><p>He’d always known Aurora was a little sadist, her having a masochist streak would hardly be a surprise. </p><p>Despite this, nothing could quite stop Tom from stirring the pot where he saw fit, whether it be by murdering students or simply making spoilt girls aware of just how jealous they were. And Ravenclaws really did have a talent for helping him with all of the above.</p><p>*</p><p>The first week of February was the coldest Tom could ever remember at the castle. Thick snow coated the sprawling grounds of Hogwarts, most of the younger years spending every free moment they had building snowmen or having snowball fights. </p><p>Avery had tried and failed to coerce the boys into engaging in such antics, eventually giving up and sauntering off to charm snowballs of his own to hit the teachers by himself. It seemed that the older years only had one thing on their minds, and the snow was certainly not it. </p><p>Valentine’s Day was less than two weeks away, the accompanying Hogsmeade trip the subject of every whispered conversation between the girls and every jeering encouragement from the boys pushing their mates towards whoever they wanted to ask. </p><p>Tom knew that Lestrange had already asked Aurora, although no one was surprised. Malfoy and Selwyn were to accompany each other as well, regardless of the grimace on Malfoy’s face when he had informed the group of this. Avery and Tom were, of that moment, both going to be attending stag. </p><p>This wasn’t down to not being able to find a date, that is, both boys could have picked any witch they wanted and had her immediately trailing them around like lost puppies. Tom simply didn’t see the point. Valentine’s Day was nothing more than a holiday to celebrate something he’d never celebrate. </p><p>In other words, it was completely fucking pointless. Or so he thought. </p><p>“-Riddle, I could name at least seven girls currently staring you down from the Hufflepuff table right now,” Avery commented over breakfast, buttering his toast messily as he peered over Tom’s shoulder. </p><p>Tom rolled his eyes, reaching for the decanter of coffee to his right to pour his third mug of the morning. It was early enough that Malfoy was likely still asleep but just late enough that Lestrange had left for Quidditch Practice.</p><p>“Avery, I was under the impression you despised Hufflepuffs.” he sighed, watching as the sandy blonde winked at one of his many admirers. </p><p>“Oh, I do,” he replied, still smiling at them from across the hall as though he hadn’t just confirmed his dislike, “but the validation of having them try to eyefuck you over the breakfast table is always an excellent pick me up on a fine Friday morning.” </p><p>“Do you not intend to ask anyone to Hogsmede then?” he questioned, curious as to why his notoriously horny companion had yet to be partnered off. </p><p>Avery took a moment to reply, his attention being drawn down to the toast on his plate, which he had suddenly begun to take extra care in slathering with jam. </p><p>“Romance seems rather pointless when I’m likely going to be married off, I’d rather go and get wankered in the Hog’s Head.” As much as he wanted to roll his eyes again, Tom could hardly fault the logic, so he just shrugged in mild agreement. </p><p>“Besides,” Avery said, brightening very suddenly, “Why haven’t you gotten yourself a bird yet? Strapping young lad like you has the entire female population of this school dick whipped. You could snap your fingers and at least five dates would appear behind you”</p><p>Tom raised his eyebrow. Avery was getting awfully bold as of late.</p><p>“As you said, romance is rather pointless when marriage is going to mean nothing but a way to make connections. I’d rather spend the day in the library.” He replied shortly, not having the excuse of an arranged marriage to work with.</p><p>Avery chewed at his toast silently, nodding his head. He swallowed deeply before smirking ever so slightly, “And what would you do if I said Eliza Fawley was walking towards you right at this very moment?”</p><p>Tom didn’t even have time to process what had been asked before he saw a streak of blue robes and strawberry blonde hair appear in his peripheral. He took one last look towards a very expectant looking Avery, turning in his seat to address the girl who was indeed stood before him.</p><p>“Fawley.” He greeted politely.</p><p>“Tom.” She replied, the side of her lip quriking up. Her voice was sweet and rather quiet, yet it didn’t seem to quite match the body it was produced from. Delicate was the last word Tom would ever use to describe Eliza Fawley. The Ravenclaw chaser and Team Captain was tall and far more built than any other girl he’d ever encountered in the castle. In fact, Tom was pretty certain she would be able to deadlift more than Avery and Malfoy combined. </p><p>“To what do I owe this pleasure?” He asked, choosing to ignore the awfully hidden snort that exited Avery in response. </p><p>“Hogsmeade is next weekend.” She said slowly, crossing her arms over her chest and tossing her head, moving her jaw-length hair out of her face </p><p>“Indeed it is.” He agreed, “I can only assume you are here as you find yourself without a date?” Once again, he elected to ignore Avery almost choking on his orange juice as he surpassed his laughter. Merlin did he want to Crucio the bastard right there. </p><p>Fawley rolled her eyes playfully, “They don’t say you’re the best student in your year for nothing, do they?” She teased.</p><p>It was something he knew Aurora would say to him, but the way Fawley spoke held none of the snark he was used to from the former. She appeared confident, but not arrogant. She knew her place, and stayed there. </p><p>Tom suddenly saw an opportunity. Aurora had denied any attraction she felt to him, any jealousy she may have felt. All he’d be doing was nudging her slightly towards acceptance of something she wasn’t yet sure of. If Lestrange couldn’t tame her into Tom’s ranks, he would do it himself. </p><p>Tom smiled in response up at Fawley, “Then I’m afraid I must sympathise with your predicament,” a phrase he never thought he’d utter, “as I too find myself not yet with someone to attend with.”</p><p>The more he spoke, the more he saw Aurora’s eyes behind his mind, blown wide as she’d stared at him at Malfoy Manor or in the Room of Requirement. This was far too much fun. </p><p>“That is a shame, yes.” She nodded, glancing down to the floor as a smile of her own played on her face. </p><p>Avery was quite literally biting his tongue at this point, his face growing redder and redder with every moment he watched Tom interacting with the Ravenclaw in front of them. How easy it would be to just reach inside is robes as cast the spell-</p><p>“Well, you would like to attend Hogsmede with me, Fawley?” Tom asked, watching her head shoot up, eyes bright. It was clearly exactly why she’d come over in the first place.</p><p>“Of course!” She exclaimed, stepping forwards and lowering her mouth to his ear, lowering her voice just enough for only him to hear, “and maybe after I can give you a tour of the Ravenclaw dorms again. It’s been a while, after all.”</p><p>Tom smirked, taking her hand and bringing it to his lips, lightly kissing her knuckles, “I look forward to it.”</p><p>With one last smile, she stood up and strode off towards the Ravenclaw table, joining her friends who all bang whispering excitedly. Tom’s head snapped back towards Avery, who had finally relinquished the hold on his tongue and was almost doubled over laughing, eyes watering. </p><p>“What the fuck was that?” He demanded as Avery wiped the stray tears from his face.</p><p>“Merlin I-“ he heaved,”it wasn’t- it wasn’t you,” he heaved again, “every other bird in here looked like they were about to <em> avada </em> Fawley then and there!” His laughter renewed as he grabbed at his stomach. </p><p>His annoyance towards Avery dissipated, replaced by the pride he held for the way he was able to control the reaction of so many people in a room. Even if it was just puppy-eyed sixteen-year-old girls, it was still a method of doling out small power plays. </p><p>“Sooooo,” Avery began once he’d managed to subdue his laughter, “What exactly are you planning to do with Fawley? I assume that asking her was hardly planned given that you’d just told me you thought it was pointless.” </p><p>Tom shrugged, suddenly aware he actually hadn’t thought about what he intended to do with her. Most of their previous encounters had involved very little conversation, the most in-depth talk they’d had regarding whether it was worth unlocking a classroom or just using a broom closet. </p><p>“Whatever the lady desires, I suppose.” He supplied, returning to gulping down his coffee, rather unsatisfied by how temperate it had grown in the space of time between pouring it and asking Fawley to accompany him to Hogsmede. </p><p>Avery nodded, “Ah yes, the classic ‘<em> I have nothing planned so I let her choose to hide the fact I really don’t want to be doing this </em>’. Charming.”</p><p>Tom’s eyebrow raised. Avery really was getting bold as of late. It was unfortunate that he was actually quite entertaining, otherwise it would be far less of a chore to punish him. </p><p>“It’s a better plan than holing myself up in a dirty pub getting pissed by myself.” He shot back, not derailing Avery’s infuriatingly joyous mood he’d maintained the whole morning, despite the early hour. </p><p>“Ah, but you see Riddle, I won’t be by my lonesome. I will have my exceptional charms abilities to keep me company.” He beamed, straightening out his robe front dramatically. Tom’s eyes narrowed, “Ok fine,” he sighed, slumping forwards and lowering his voice, “you remember that charm I’ve been working on that I was telling you all about <em> against my will </em> on New Year’s Eve?”</p><p>“If I remember rightly, it was you who provided the means for said information to be shared, Avery,”</p><p>“Besides the point. I think I’ve just about got the spell down. My practice run is going to be done on the Hog’s Head menus. Half the customers there are so thick I don’t think they know how to read in the first place, it’s not like it’ll be a problem.”</p><p>“And the landlord will be ok with this?”</p><p>“Abe? Absolutely not, the man hates me. I’ll probably have to flee dodging his curses but it’ll be worth it.”</p><p>Tom just stared at Avery.</p><p>“You are aware of how lucky you are that you’re a dab hand at charms, aren’t you?”</p><p>If it were possible, Tom was sure Avery’s smile would have spread further up his face, “I believe I’ve been told that already, yes.”</p><p>“I was surprised you didn’t ask one of Rosier’s gaggle to go with you.” Tom remarked, “Since Lestrange and Malfoy have both bagged one. Does Black not pick your fancy?”</p><p>Avery snorted, “Black picks every’s fancy. I mean, have you <em> seen </em> her?” Tom offered no reaction, “Unfortunately for us poor minstrels, she has been claimed by her Prince already.”</p><p>“That being…?” Tom nudged.</p><p>“Everyone’s favourite blood traitor, Potter.”</p><p>“Potter?” Tom echoed, not bothering to hide his surprise. </p><p>“Yep.” Avery said, licking jam off of his fingers, “Although it’s meant to be a secret. Between you and me, they’re doing a shit job of hiding it.”</p><p>Tom’s mind suddenly reeled back to that first weekend of September when he’d spotted Aurora outside the greenhouses with a very disorientated Charlus Potter after mumbling that ever so temperamental spell. It was an interesting thought, but one he'd have to save for another time. </p><p>Right now, he had an Avery to keep up with. </p><p>“With that level of gossiping, one might almost say you were a match for Hornby.”</p><p>Avery’s face immediately soured, “No. Absolutely not. Been there, done that, never again. I would happily take one of the literal hags from the Hog’s Head into my dorm over listening to Hornby go on and on about which professor is the fittest after I’ve shagged her.”</p><p>Tom nodded agreeably, not even wanting to imagine being in the situation, “You make a very valid argument.”  </p><p>The rest of breakfast passed with nothing more than amicable conversation, although Tom’s mind was elsewhere. Not only had he thrown himself into taking a girl on a date, something he’d never thought he’d ever do, but he’d done it for the sole purpose of proving to another that she was jealous. </p><p>Normality simply didn’t exist in Tom’s world, did it?</p><p>*</p><p>The weeks between asking Fawley to Hogsmede and the actual trip passed far quicker than Tom could have ever imagined. Aurora was still keeping her distance, still spending most of her free time dragging Lestrange away into the library. </p><p>Tom had tried asking what exactly they did in there, given that the sixth-years still didn’t have that much revision set. It appeared Lestrange was none the wiser, saying that he tended to just leave her to it whilst he worked his way through every text on Quidditch Hogwarts had to offer. </p><p>Valentine’s Day morning was quite possibly the worst day he could remember spending at the castle. Every year before, he’d been able to get down to the hall, grab some food and repeat to his room without much disturbance. </p><p>Today, however, he was forced to face the fact that his entire day would be plagued by charmed heart confetti and small chocolates laced with mild aphrodisiacs being placed surreptitiously along tables by girls really testing their luck against the school rules. Just because it was sold in Honeydukes didn’t mean it was ethical, for Merlin’s sake.</p><p>Fawley was waiting for him in the Courtyard as he left the hall, her short hair curled towards her face and donning a light blue peacoat covering her white skirt. Tom was certain it was the exact opposite of whatever Aurora would be wearing that day, despite not actually having seen her yet. Lestrange had mentioned that they had a full agenda that day, opting to skip breakfast. </p><p>He knew that he had the power to tell Lestrange that his services were no longer needed, and the relationship between him and Aurora was redundant, but there was hardly any fun in that. Not when he could flaunt everything she didn’t yet now she wanted freely in front of the pair of them. </p><p>“Fawley.” He greeted cordially, taking her hand to kiss her knuckles, wrapping his hand around his arm, “Shall we?”</p><p>She only giggled, nodding shyly as she allowed him to turn them, walking steadily towards the bridge that led down to the village. In all honesty, Tom had never minded Fawley. Not one for conversation, their transactions had always been very straight forward. It was only as they approached the school gates did Tom think that maybe she wasn’t quite the deviant he had always assumed her to be. </p><p>The only other Quidditch Captain Tom knew well enough (or liked enough) to converse with was Lestrange. Even then, the boy seemed to owe half of his position on the team to his overwhelming self-confidence both in the locker room and on the pitch. Not once had Tom ever stopped to consider that maybe the other houses didn’t follow the same selection process as the Slytherins, maybe choosing the strategists over the showboats. </p><p>He’d initially liked Fawley because she was able to say what she wanted but was willing to submit for it. That was in the bedroom (Or broom closet. Semantics). Outside of those confines, he found that she was a completely different person. </p><p>“So, lady’s choice for today. Where would you like to go?” Tom asked as they passed through the great gates, the gargoyles above sneering down at them. </p><p>“Oh, well,” she began, her cheeks flushing pink as he stared down at her, “There’s this lovely little cafe, Just off the high street. Madam Puddifoot's?”</p><p>
  <em> Merlin, Salazar and Circe fucking bless me. </em>
</p><p>“Yes.” He smiled through gritted teeth, “Lovely.” He could almost hear Avery laughing in the back of his mind. </p><p>It quickly became apparent that despite any preconceived notions Tom had had about Fawley, she was every bit as feminine as the majority of Hogwarts female population  As it was, Madam Puddifoot’s was possibly the worst place Tom had ever set foot in. And he’d opened the fucking Chamber of Secrets. </p><p>Everything was a sickly shade of pink, and the air was infused with so many different scents he was worried he might pass out if they didn’t sit down soon. Luckily, Fawley was quick to pull Tom into a booth, opting to sit next to him instead of sitting across. Like a normal person would do for a normal meal. </p><p>However, this wasn’t a normal meal, was it? It was a date. On Valentine’s Day. It was fucking stupid. </p><p>A short plump witch came by, asking for their orders. Whilst Fawley asked for tea with far too much sugar and a selection of small cakes, Tom opted for just black coffee. The plump witch sighed, mumbling something about ‘fragile men’ before tottering off to brew whatever it was that his companion had requested.  </p><p>When the drinks did arrive, Tom was somewhat horrified to see the bright fuchsia china cup he was presented with, despite the attempt at a warm smile he flashed towards their waitress, who blushed almost as pink as the crockery she was delivering. Fawley cooed over how adorable the place was, whilst he silently wished he could put his own head through the window without looking like he belonged in the Janus Thickey ward in St. Mungo's. </p><p>Suffice to say, conversation did not come easily. Usually one to charm a semi-decent dialogue out of anyone, Tom found himself growing more and more frustrated with every one or two-word answer he drew from Fawley, who seemed more interested in staring into his eyes and biting her lip rather than actually engaging with anything he’d said. </p><p>It appeared that the day she’d approached him in the Great Hall had been an exceptionally talkative day, and very misleading in that regard.</p><p>“How are the Ravenclaw’s Team coming along? I was aware of your win over Hufflepuff recently.”</p><p>“They’re good.”</p><p>A pause to allow for any elaboration. None came. </p><p>“I’m sure you as a Captain were pleased with such a result.”</p><p>“Mhm.”</p><p>Another prolonged, rather painful pause. </p><p>“Is there anything else you enjoy aside from Quidditch?”</p><p>“Not really, no.”</p><p>If it weren’t considered incredibly impolite to snort at someone whilst on a date (Once again, <em> Merlin fucking bless m </em>e), Tom would have audibly laughed. For someone who was meant to be the poster student for the sport within her house, Fawley gave no impression she had any interest in it whatsoever. </p><p>Granted, that may have been down to both having something rather different on their minds. He hadn’t forgotten her parting words from the couple weeks prior, a tour of the Ravenclaw dorms not sounding all too bad. However, simply dragging her off the and there would render the whole plan for the day entirely useless. </p><p>He was yet to see Lestrange or Aurora, the former having provided no details of exactly what they had intended to do that day. The only reason Tom has stayed in the fucking cafe for longer than five minutes was telling himself that it may be one of the couple’s stops. However, the more he thought about it, the more it became almost comical. </p><p>He couldn’t help but picture Aurora quite literally attempting to burn the establishment to the ground, It seemed more fitting to her character than sitting quaintly sipping the criminally sweet tea his actual date was somehow enjoying. </p><p>Thus, he remained in place for almost two hours, forcing a conversation that just wasn’t happening at all and letting his coffee go cold before ordering another. For someone who had quite literally killed someone, in that moment, Tom felt he should certainly go down as a Saint. At the very minimum, he should receive an Order of Merlin. </p><p>First-Class, preferably. </p><p>The real breaking point for him however was when their waitress arrived at their table for what felt like the twentieth time that day, this time baring two heart-shaped cookies saying they were on the house for the lovely couple. Fawley gasped, thanking her profusely and smiling sweetly at Tom. </p><p>Tom took one bite to at least appear polite, although his patience was running very thin by then. He didn’t finish said cookie, instead, he threw a few galleons onto the table and grabbed Fawley’s arm, pulling her to her feet just outside the booth. She began to protest but quickly quietened down when he looped his arm around her waist, walking them both towards the door. </p><p>He was all but ready to give up on the day’s work, march them back up to the castle and shag Fawley until neither could talk (would hardly be a challenge in her case), but his mood improved considerably when a voice just up the street yelled his name. </p><p>“Riddle?” Aurora stood, arm looped through Lestrange’s, with Malfoy and Selwyn, staring directly at him from the opening of the alleyway that Madam Puddifoot’s sat on. Much like he’d guessed earlier, she did seem to be dressed almost the exact opposite to Fawley.</p><p>Her black cloak stood out like a sore thumb against the pristine white background of the snowy village.</p><p>He felt Fawley stiffen slightly next to him, “Is that Aurora Rosier?” She whispered, squinting towards the end of the lane.</p><p>“Unfortunately, yes.” He sighed, his words not quite reflecting the relief he felt, pushing the two of them forward towards the small group that had formed. Aurora looks positively joyous. </p><p>“Never in my almost seventeen years of life did I think I’d see Tom Riddle leaving Madam Puddifoot’s.” She cackled loudly as they approached, “Pinch me, Raoul. I need to know this isn’t a dream.” </p><p>Lestrange laughed, though was looking at Tom warily.</p><p>Aurora continued to laugh far more heartily, “Don’t tell me you two were sitting in there sharing those little heart-shaped cookies and tea.” She taunted</p><p>
  <em> Fucking heart-shaped cookies. </em>
</p><p>Tom and Fawley came to a halt a few feet away, “I don’t see the issue here, Rosier, I was simply treating my,” <em> don’t grimace </em>, “date to a day of whatever she desired.” He smiled, hearing Fawley sigh next to him. </p><p>She was then smiling wickedly, “Of course! The date! I almost forgot to address the lucky girl.”</p><p>Aurora’s eyes left him for the first time since she’d spotted him, roving over his companion. Her smile faltered as she did a double-take, eyes narrowing at the strawberry blonde who stood opposite her. Her eyes darted back towards Tom. He smiled.</p><p>“Ah.” She said shortly. “Fawley.” <em> Bingo </em>, “I hardly recognise you without the post-Quidditch hair and offensively coloured Ravenclaw robes.” She extended her hand, which Fawley took slowly, looking very cautious and rather offended before dropping very quickly. </p><p>“Didn’t know you and Riddle were a thing now Liza, when did this happen?” Lestrange asked jovially, and Aurora’s face very quickly turned from smug to venomous. </p><p>Funny. </p><p>Fawley was blushing again, and once again Tom found himself wondering how quickly he could kill everyone in his general vicinity and get away with it. </p><p>“Oh uhm, just today, I suppose.” She hummed. It was probably the most words Tom had heard her string together since they’d sat down earlier. </p><p>Lestrange looked as though he were about to respond, but Aurora beat him to it, “How adorable, <em> Liza </em>.” She drew out her name, and Tom took great pleasure in watching Lestrange cringe slightly from next to her, “I must say, I had no idea so many of you were such good friends. Brax, Thea, don’t tell me now that you both are chummy with our new Ravenclaw here?”</p><p>Merlin, she was a nasty piece of work wasn’t she? </p><p>Malfoy and Selwyn both shook their heads, looking curiously between the four others. </p><p>“Well,” Fawley began, “I know Raoul,” Aurora’s eye twitched, “as we’re both Quidditch Captains, and Tom I met through - uhm -“ her tone was unsure, and the harpy seemed to revel in it.</p><p>“Study Group.” He cut in, earning an appreciative look from the girl beside him, who was blushing so much she now rather resembled a tomato. </p><p>“A study group?” Aurora asked, eyebrows raised. </p><p>“Yes.” He nodded. </p><p>“You attend a study group.”</p><p>“I do.” <em> Circe’s fucking tits why was he doing this. </em></p><p>“When?” She asked, and Tom could see the challenge in her eyes. She knew he was lying. Of course she fucking did.</p><p>“It was just before our O.W.L.s”</p><p>Fawley, Lestrange, Malfoy and Selwyn were all following the conversation intently, heads roaming to a fro as each spoke like it was a game of muggle tennis. </p><p>“You and Fawley met studying together?”</p><p>“Amongst other things,” Tom smirked</p><p>Ah yes, that was why he was doing this. Aurora’s eyes flared and her lip curled. She looked rather furious. Most would probably just assume it was because she knew he was lying, but he could almost see that wonderful jealousy leaking through the cracks of her facade. He was so focused on the reaction he was garnering that he’d almost completely missed Fawley’s hand wrapping around his.</p><p>“Tom I think we should go-'' she'd leant into him, her face only an inch or so from the side of his head. In the seconds that followed her first word, Tom’s gaze locked on Aurora as she silently fumed, jaw clenched. </p><p>It was disgustingly reckless and out-of-character, but Tom almost felt as an outside force taking hold of his hand, snapping it up to take hold of Fawley’s chin. Never breaking eye contact, he turned his head, quickly catching her lips with his own. It was nothing more than a peck, but Aurora looked murderous. </p><p>Lestrange was staring down at her, his expression laced with concern. </p><p>Tom only smiled.</p><p>“I couldn’t agree more, Fawley. I would hate to hold up Rosier and Lestrange’s plans any more than they’ve held up ours, wouldn’t you agree?” He didn’t wait for a response before he’d laced his arm through hers and pulled her towards the high street. </p><p>Fawley made no protest appearing to have been stunned into silence by his very sudden and very public display. Behind him, Tom could faintly hear Aurora cursing him to the other three. At least today hadn’t been for nothing.</p><p>The stroll back through the village and into the castle ground was, once again uncomfortably quiet. He had long accepted that conversation simply wasn’t on the cards with Fawley, and just hoped that whatever happened once they reached the castle would compensate. </p><p>Fortunately, it rather did. </p><p>The Ravenclaw's dorms had always been warmer than the Slytherin’s.</p><p>It was territory both of them were far more used to with each other. The second her door had closed and silencing charms thrown up, the awkwardness that had plagued the entire day between them had snapped, and they became nothing but a mess of tangled limbs and muttered pleas for <em> more </em>.</p><p>Tom lost count of the hours they spent wrapped in her bedsheets, certain that they’d long missed dinner when he finally managed to redress and make his way back down the corridor, basking in the shocked looks of every student he passed on his way out. The sun had set, and only very few students remained in the corridors, many entangled with another. </p><p>It wasn’t that today had been completely awful - the sex was anything but - however, it had really reinforced Tom’s decision that he would never be able to have a real relationship. For Merlin’s sake, he’d quite literally considered putting his head through a window to avoid small talk. The only thing that had played on his mind, even as Fawley had thrown her head back in pleasure at his touch or as he’d tightened his hold on the base of her neck, was if he’d actually achieved what he’d intended to. </p><p>He knew he’d royally pissed Aurora off earlier that day. Maybe more so than intended, but had she felt any traces of the jealousy he’d been trying to elicit? He’d toyed with the idea that repeating something enough in your own head was enough to make you believe it. If he forced Aurora to question it enough, would she eventually cave?</p><p>Or would she just try to kill him again? It really could go either way with her. </p><p>Part of him hated her for somehow becoming the centre of his entire life in such a short space of time, causing him nothing but trouble. Another part of him couldn’t help but wonder what would have happened if it had been blue eyes and blonde hair underneath him that day instead of green and red. </p><p>Reaching his dorm, Tom was unsurprised to find Raoul’s bed empty. It appeared that Avery had indeed been chased out of the Hog’s Head that day, as he was sporting a number of nasty stinging hexes that Malfoy was muttering a counter curse from. </p><p>“-but the spell <em> works </em>, Malfoy-“</p><p>“-<em> reparifors </em>, Avery you took seven hexes to the back because of it-“</p><p>“-fucking worth it-“</p><p>“-worst person I have ever met in my life-“</p><p>He barely acknowledged the other two wizards as he headed straight to the bathroom, taking his more and more frequent cold shower. He secretly hoped she’d be able to feel the numbing sting of the water too, regardless of whatever she was doing at that moment. </p><p>By the time he was done, both of the other boys had retreated to their own beds, curtains drawn tightly. He followed suit, closing himself into his own bed too and putting up a silencing charm for good measure. </p><p>Head falling back against his pillow, Tom ran his hands roughly over his face, massaging his temple. Sleep didn’t come easily that night, he tossed and turned constantly. His hands eventually travelled under his pillow in an attempt to get more comfortable, only to find the small book stowed there. </p><p>He pulled it out, allowing his eyes to adjust to the dark just enough to make out the vague outline of the small object. He’d kept the diary in the bed ever since arriving back to Hogwarts on January 1st. It was yet another reminder of Aurora, although this little journal held a very different meaning by this point. </p><p>Upon receiving the gift, he’d assumed he’d only use it for extra notes on the little passion project he’d been pursuing for almost a year now. That was until now. His fingers ran over the embossed words that decorated the front, a smirk slowly creeping up his face. </p><p>Toying with Aurora’s seemingly impossible emotions had been a distraction from his real goals for that year. After all, he’d only hatched the Valentine’s Day plan a few weeks ago. He’d been planning the Horcruxes for months, and it was time they took precedence.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who has left kudos or comments on my story so far. This is the first time I've ever published any of my writing and I really appreciate it. The next couple of months are going to dramatically slow down update wise unfortunately as I'm now in the assessment period at school for my final grades, which is going to have to take precedence for obvious reasons. I'll still be posting, it just may only be every other week for so until the start of June. Once again, I really am grateful for every read, have a lovely day! :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Almost an Answer</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Tom Riddle was many things. Subtle was not always one of them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>From the moment she’d seen him step out of that tea shop, Aurora had sensed his elation at the sound of her voice. The utter joy he’d drawn from kissing that Ravenclaw whore in front of her, before dragging her off back up to the castle. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maybe it was just her who could see it, who could tell exactly when Tom was putting on his charming façade. Everyone else seemed to have been completely oblivious to what was happening, thinking she was just taunting Fawley for no reason other than the well-known disdain she held for her choice of date. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But of course, it boiled down to his accusation of jealousy. He wanted her to see what she was missing out on, she supposed. Oh, how Aurora longed to be dragged around sickeningly garish tea shops on Valentines Day like a lovesick puppy. Did he even know what he was doing?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It wasn’t the suggestion of jealousy that had driven her sour reaction, however. She could handle accusations, but to suggest such a thing in front of Raoul? How dare he. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Follower</span>
  </em>
  <span> or not, Raoul was one of his closest acquaintances, and the disrespect Tom had shown to him was astronomical. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>At least the night they’d spoken in the Common Room she’d had time to mull it over by herself in bed. And then again at breakfast the next morning. And the next night as well. And every night since. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But in public? She’d had to just pull herself together immediately after, brushing it off as just another situation where he was being a twat. Raoul had been slightly withdrawn for a while after, the jovial disposition he’d carried for most of the day dissipating noticeably as they’d parted ways with Abraxas and Thea to head towards The Silver Vine, a small restaurant just along the high street. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>After sitting down, he had seemed to relax the more they spoke, lunch going near enough without a hitch. The food was wonderful and they spent almost an hour after they’d finished eating just talking about nothing. It was bliss.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Granted, she was still painfully aware that she’d not yet reciprocated Raoul’s words from Christmas eve, but Aurora tried her best to push the thought to the back of her head as she’d watched him stare at her across the table with just as much adoration as he’d held the day he’d first kissed her. There was a youthful innocence to him she so longed for.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>That was when the scratching started. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Raoul had been in the middle of detailing a letter he’d received from his sponsor at the Kenmare Kestrels, asking him to once again consider taking up their offer of a premature signing when she’d suddenly flinched, feeling as though some had walked up behind her and roughly grabbed onto her shoulders. Raoul’s smile had faltered, asking if she was ok. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She’d just smiled, and told him to continue with his story. However, the more he spoke, the more Aurora could feel. She quickly felt as though there were nails being raked up and down her back, digging into her flesh. She’d fought back any reaction, trying to figure out what exactly was happening and-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The fucking connection. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She could have screamed. It had been weeks that she’d been feeling random bumps and or aches, oftentimes occluding just enough to ignore any of it. She’d occasionally feel pain shoot through her ankle whilst getting up in the morning like she’d hit it against a bed frame, but aside from that, she’d only thought about why it was happening, not what it would mean for her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Weeks spent in the library trawling through the heavily censored texts achieved what she could have done in a day in her own family library. Every time she’d been close to an answer, the description would be too vague or even blotted out by certain spells placed on books in the public section of the library. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She didn’t have time to lament the lack of clarification of the school’s texts at that moment, however, as she was then sat at lunch with her boyfriend whilst feeling every sensation Tom was experiencing whilst shagging Eliza Fawley. Never one to welcome the idea of dying, Aurora couldn’t help but wish the ceiling would collapse on her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It won’t long until they both returned to his dorm, losing herself enough in her own pleasure that he was able to forget someone else’s, but for the first time in a long time, she had turned down Raoul’s offer to stay after. The prospect of having to sleep in the same room as Tom after </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span> was too much for that day. She hated it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was left confined to her own mind once again, occluding herself into numbness. The more she’d told herself to not do as such, the more she couldn’t help herself. It was only late December she’d toyed with the idea of Occlumency as a way of coping with the sudden disruptions her life had presented, and it had quickly become addictive.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So for another yet night, Aurora was overcome with sleep under the complete and utter mercy of her own mind’s ability to shut down, all alone in the small bed that became more and more suffocatingly empty with every moment she spent there. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>*</span>
</p><p>
  <span>One of the very few constants Aurora had had since returning from Christmas was the library. It was too cold on the Hogwarts grounds, and at least the library had its little reading nooks tucked away behind the fireplaces. She was often joined by Raoul, who she would drag along for company despite never actually communicating with aside from the occasion nudge or prompt to let her lean into his side as he read whatever Quidditch text he’d found that day. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>On a particularly freezing Friday morning the week after Hogsmede however, Aurora found herself not with Raoul, who had slipped off for Quidditch practice at 6 am that morning, but Dorea. Both girls had a full day clear of lessons while Thea and Olive had triple Herbology. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dorea was leant over a particularly nasty Potions essay, her eyes flicking between her textbook and the long piece of parchment she had laid across the table. Aurora, however, was scanning a far more interesting text. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>After weeks of nothing, the day after Valentine’s day she had finally relented and sent an owl to Aurelia Malfoy. She’d considered owning her father, knowing full well exactly what she needed was sat right in her own stacks, but ultimately decided against it. The less her parents knew, the better. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She’d made out that she was participating in an extracurricular research project for Defence Against The Dark Arts, and had been made aware of a particular text by Professor Merrythought who had suggested it may be housed in her own family library. After contacting her father, she had found that they in fact didn’t own it, and wondered if it was possibly in the Malfoy collection, and how grateful she would be if she could borrow it for a short period of time. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurelia had replied the very same day, saying she could of course borrow the book. She’d said it would, unfortunately, be slightly delayed as it was part of a heavily warded section of the library and would require a bit of work from Septimus to ensure it didn’t try to bite her hand off when she opened it because she wasn’t a Malfoy. She wished her all the luck for the project and assured her that anything she needed from their library, they could have. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She’d smiled sadly down at the letter, lamenting the relationship she’d never had with her own mother. The Malfoy family may have been some of the most powerful, most intimidating members of Wizarding Society, but they knew how to be kind, and how to love their own. She’d always privately envied Abraxas in that regard. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The book in question had arrived that morning. She’d expected one of their giant eagle owls to deliver a tidily wrapped parcel over breakfast. What she hadn’t expected was for Pippa to appear at the end of her bed at 6:30 am. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The tiny elf had come dressed in her little emerald pillowcase, arms full of pastries and a very heavy looking box tied to her back. She’d announced that she was on her way to her Master’s room to drop off his breakfast (Abraxas, the little snake, getting his food delivered by his house elf each morning apparently) and had been asked by Mistress Aurelia to drop something off for Aurora too. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She’d taken the package off of Pippa, assuming she would bid her farewell and be off to the boy’s dorm, but the elf was not done with the surprises yet. It quickly became apparent that not all the pastries were for her Master as she began placing small boxes of apple and cinnamon tarts on the table next to Aurora’s head. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When she’d dropped off half her load, she finally stepped back, smiling up at her before finally leaving with a loud </span>
  <em>
    <span>pop</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Aurora had never considered asking one of the elves from the Rosier Estate to serve her whilst at school before. Maybe she’d try calling on Dipsy later that night. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>For now, however, all that interested her was the delivery she had been so eagerly awaiting. She all but ripped the paper off, too eager to find the book within. A small note fluttered down to the floor, a silvery card with an ornate black monogram ‘AVM’ decorating the backside. Aurora reached off her bed, picking it up off the floor where it had fallen in her haste. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She turned it over in her hand, the neat dark green script shimmering against the silver paper it had been written on;</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>The Malfoy Archives are open for every exceptionally worthy mind, we will always be here should you need any further help in the future. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Be very careful, Aurora. I trust you know what this book contains. Use it well.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>All my love, Lady Aurelia Venus Malfoy</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora tucked the card into the picture frame beside her bed, obscuring Olive in a picture the girls had taken by the lake at the end of last year, which Thea had framed for all four of them. She’d make sure to write back to both Malfoys later that day to express her gratitude once again, but she couldn’t wait any longer. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She’d all but dragged Dorea out of her bed, forcing her to get dressed so they could claim the furthest back reading alcove the library had to offer. And that was where Aurora found herself then, fingers tracing carefully over the embossed letters of the tome’s title, set into the deep purple leather of the cover. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The spine audibly creaked as she pried it open, drawing Dorea’s eyes up from her essay. Her brow furrowed slightly as she stared at the book. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s not from the school library, is it?” She asked, astute as ever, “That house elf from this morning delivered it, didn’t she?” Or maybe not as astute as Aurora had thought. It appeared that Pippa wasn’t the quietest elf. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora nodded shallowly as her eyes roamed over the yellowing, fragile paper of the title page, “No, I got Lady Malfoy to send it over from their collection.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s a Malfoy text? Why on earth would you need something from Malfoy’s family library?” Dorea sounded shocked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because I would rather gouge my own eyes out than risk my mother knowing what books I’m withdrawing from my own collection.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You do know that if the Malfoys or Rosiers have it, my family’s collection almost certainly will too, right? Why didn’t you just ask me?” Dorea sounded hurt, causing Aurora to lift her head. Her friend’s head was tilted to the side, her eye studying Aurora carefully as her mouth turned down slightly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s a secret project for Slughorn,” She lied, “It’s for extra credit towards my N.E.W.T grade. He’d asked me to not tell anyone else.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And you didn’t think you’d be able to tell me, that I’d blab about you completing extra school work? Aurora I have kept so many secrets for you, not to mention the number of times I’ve cleaned up after you, but this is where you draw the line? A school project?” Dorea looked more than hurt now, placing her quill down on the table. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Look, Dorea,” Aurora sighed, “Aurelia-“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, we’re on a first-name basis with Lady Malfoy now?” Dorea huffed, brushing a strand of her raven hair out of her face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora glared, “As a matter of fact, I am. We were granted permission to call her as such at Christmas. As I was saying, Aurelia was more than willing to lend me their copy, no questions asked.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And you think </span>
  <em>
    <span>Violetta</span>
  </em>
  <span> wouldn’t have?” She drew out her mother’s last name, mocking Aurora’s flippant use of Aurelia’s.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dorea, you hate your mother.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I do. She’s a foul creature with a goblin foot coat-stand up her pureblood arse.” Dorea snapped, taking Aurora back with her harsh words, “But you’re a Rosier, she’d fall at your feet if you asked her to.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have no idea what you’re talking about. The Blacks are far more influential than the Rosiers have ever been.” Aurora admitted bitterly. Well, they were the more influential in England. Austria or France, however…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You are correct.” Dorea agreed, sounding slightly smugger than before, “But Lady Black has eyes for a certain Lord Rosier, and makes no attempt to hide it. If his </span>
  <em>
    <span>daughter</span>
  </em>
  <span> asked to borrow one of her books she’d probably just give you the house elf that delivered it as a courtesy gift.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora stopped for a moment, processing exactly what Dorea had just said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Forgive me, but </span>
  <em>
    <span>Lady Violetta Black</span>
  </em>
  <span>, the wife of </span>
  <em>
    <span>Lord Cygnus Black II</span>
  </em>
  <span>, has eyes for a wizard of a fractionally lower status?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My father isn’t the family heir. She doesn’t care.” Dorea shrugged.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora sat in silence for another few moments, head bobbing slightly as she really took it in. Finally, she shrugged as well. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She can have at it, I suppose. It’s not like my mother would particularly care either. She’s too busy with Lord Yaxley.” Aurora said casually, checking her nail beds</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’d heard Lord Nott was getting rather cosy with her,” Dorea added. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh no,” Aurora replied, “Lord Nott was quite the time ago. He was rather hesitant to speak to me at Thea’s engagement party. Even Lord Parkinson was more recent than that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Father mentioned that he’d heard Lord Flint had also struck lucky. Or unlucky, I suppose.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Both girls were now grinning, the hostility disappearing just as fast as it had flared up. Aurora supposed it was to be expected. Despite Dorea’s far stricter upbringing and retention of her Pureblood manners, she possessed an equally strong personality. They had clashed before in the past, and Aurora supposed they’d continue to class for the rest of their lives, but they still repeated each other. Aurora liked her enough to consider her a friend, after all. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, are you going to tell me what this is about?” Dorea said, crossing her arms over her chest and nodding towards the book. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora sighed, “Dorea I can’t tell you-“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bullshit.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora’s eyebrow quirked, “I thought you were vehemently against foul language?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What can I say, I’m surrounded by bad influences.” She smirked, “Now, tell me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s a personal matter-“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not Thea.” Dorea finally snapped, “I’m not just going to sit back and watch you pour over obviously restricted texts in a public library. Now, either tell me what you’re doing or I swear to Merlin I will order one of my own house-elves to steal that bloody book from you in the middle of the night and work it out for myself.” She finished, chest heaving slightly from her rant. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora just stared at her. House elves had suddenly become quite the nuisance. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You swear you won’t tell anyone? Not even Thea?” She asked, not feeling the need to ask Dorea to keep anything from Olive. It was a general rule amongst the three of them, that if you considered something private, you did everything in your power from letting her hear. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not even Thea.” Dorea nodded in confirmation, “Although I’m interested to hear what you feel the need to keep from even her.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fine,” she conceded. She supposed it would be nice to have at least one person know quite how shit her last couple of months had really been. And the bloody Blacks never let anything past them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora hastily threw up a silencing charm around them before recounting the whole story of her and Tom, starting with the truce she’d proposed all those weeks ago, detailing the duel, the magic’s reaction and the subsequently shared sensations that had followed. She left out the irrelevant details, like her use of the cruciatus, almost casting a Killing Curse, the Occlumency lessons and the whole jealousy accusations, but even the basics were enough to render Dorea completely taken aback. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Aurora finished, the raven-haired girl was leant forward on her elbows, mouth ajar. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let me get this straight. You tried being friends with Tom Riddle, got drunk and duelled him in an </span>
  <em>
    <span>unplottable </span>
  </em>
  <span>room, everything blew up in your face and now you can feel when he stubs his toe?” She said slowly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“In the most simple of terms, yes. That is exactly what happened.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Huh.” Dorea chewed her bottom lip, “I can see why you don’t want Thea knowing. She’d go ballistic. I’m pretty sure she still isn’t over the bathroom incident of ’42,” she said, her tone slightly teasing, but Aurora had to stop herself from flinching at the thought of </span>
  <em>
    <span>tha</span>
  </em>
  <span>t particular memory now. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Pretty much. Although it's Riddle, he of all people deserves it.” She reasoned. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dorea’s expression darkened, “I don’t know, ‘Rora, I’m not sure I trust him.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora’s brow furrowed, “May I ask why?” She was obviously right in holding a level of distrust for him, but she was curious as to what her scarily observant friend had picked up on. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She cast an eye around the room as if looking for anyone listening in, despite the silencing spell, “My cousins. Orion and Cygnus came to our estate for Christmas. They were singing his praises, boasting about their new friend in Sixth Year. They wouldn’t tell me anything, but said that he was very important.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora had known that Tom had his little follower fantasy, with Raoul, Abraxas and Raoul unfortunate enough to have ended up entailed in. It had never occurred to her that maybe this went further than just them. He'd spoken about wanting to build an army, had he already begun? If so, she hoped for his sake it went beyond Third-Years. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A second thought suddenly occurred to her, “Did they mention anything about Evan?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her little brother had grown rather close to Orion in his first few months at the castle. If the latter was suddenly enthralled by Tom, who was to say that he wouldn’t be too? She wouldn’t know from speaking to him, of course. The little bugger hadn’t as much as looked her way in two months. Gueneviere’s work, no doubt. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As Dorea shook her head, another memory hit Aurora like a freight train. The first week of school, she’d walked past her brother and Raoul in a corridor together, locked in low conversation, the younger of the two looking completely awestruck by the Quidditch player. At the time, she’d thought nothing of it. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Making connections</span>
  </em>
  <span>, she’d called it. Had she been completely wrong the whole time? Had Raoul been trying to coerce Evan into joining Tom’s little regime?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Penny for your thoughts?” Dorea’s voice brought her back from her thoughts. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, no,” Aurora waved off, “just didn’t want to think of Evan in danger.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dorea saw right through her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You hate you brother.” She mused.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hate is a very strong word.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fine, strongly resent.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora just rolled her eyes. There was no use responding with another lie. Anything else she said would only give Dorea more ground to dig. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So. Show me the book that caused this little tiff.” Dorea said, her tone commanding as she extended a hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Huffing, Aurora snapped the book shut and handed it over. Dorea smiled as she placed it carefully onto the table net to her essay, making sure there were no ink pots nearby that could spill. One look at the title wiped her face clean of expression, however. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No.” She said, eyes darting up immediately. Aurora’s face was grim. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No.” She repeated, “Merlin, the magical reaction from the duel…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I assume you know of the book?” Aurora winced slightly as she asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course I know the book! And I know </span>
  <em>
    <span>exactly</span>
  </em>
  <span> what this book contains that certain other texts do not. Please don’t say you’re thinking what I think you are?” Dorea sounded pleading. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>All Aurora could do was bite her lip and nod. Dorea was scarily intimidating at that very moment, and that was coming from Aurora. She should have known that a Black would be more knowledgeable than most on certain topics. Especially the ones detailed in that particular book.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But, how can it even be possible…?” Dorea’s voice trailed off as she quickly turned the pages until she found what she was looked for. Her eyes scanned the text, her expression morphing from shock to surprise to horror the more she covered. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>All Aurora could do was sit and watch, hoping Dorea reached the wrong conclusion. If she did, it would save her having to weave a lie strong enough to cover everything up. She could cope with Dorea knowing about petty taunting in school toilets. She couldn’t cope with her knowing about the murder. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t know that torturing someone was enough to damage your soul?” Dorea said quietly, thank fucking Merlin. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora tried to not breathe a sigh of relief. She didn’t know </span>
  <em>
    <span>everything</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Neither did I,” Aurora said sadly, watching Dorea’s expression closely for any hint of her becoming remotely suspicious, but there was nothing so far, “but you’d understand why I came to such a conclusion? All the signs are there.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dorea nodded, “They are, but my main concern is Riddle - why did the reaction affect him?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I suppose there’s only one explanation for that.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I told you I didn’t trust him, ‘Rora, and now look at what we’re suggesting! He’s done something awful, and you know it.” Dorea exclaimed, looking at Aurora pleadingly as though she would somehow have a solution.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The book was laid open in front of them, an imposing reminder of just how grave the situation was. Aurora had never considered what someone else may have thought of her situation. Death had always been present in her life to the point that finding out Tom had killed a student had barely come as a shock. Dorea, however, looked mortified. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There are several explanations for damaged souls, Dorea.” She reasoned, but her friend didn’t seem convinced. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No. Not for Riddle, there isn’t. There is something wrong with him.” She bit out, “I mean, have seen the way the boys look at him half the time? They look bloody terrified when they think no one is looking - yes, I’m referring to Lestrange too.” She added as Aurora began to protest. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know what you want me to say,” Aurora sighed, leaning back in her chair to study the ceiling, “I can’t know if I’m right without talking to him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora’s head very quickly snapped back down at Dorea’s response, “I’m sorry?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I said good. He and Avery just walked in.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her eyes widened as she looked towards the entrance of the library, where sure enough, Tom and Arche were surveying the surroundings. She wanted to duck her head down, but Arche caught her eye at the last moment, immediately striding over, his face splitting open into a grin. Tom followed him far less enthusiastically. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Reaching over the table, Aurora grabbed the book and slammed it closed, pushing it to the side and dragging her bag up to cover the title. She wanted to scream. A feeling that was becoming more and more commonplace for her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well hello Princess,” Arche greeted cheerfully when he reached the table, bowing deeply, “And Black, how do our two lovely ladies find themselves this fine morning.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Both girls hummed a noncommittal response, causing him to snort. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah yes, that ever so common mood, the unintelligible grumble.” Aurora went to sneer but found him still grinning as he dropped his bag onto the table. Dorea shot her a look as his companion finally came to stand next to him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Morning, Black,” Tom said, opting to ignore Aurora completely. Twat. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Riddle.” Dorea said coldly, immediately grabbing her bag and scooping all her belongings inside, “I’m afraid I have a few things to do for Slughorn today that can’t wait. Avery, join me will you? I’ll need some help.” Aurora’s eyes narrowed immediately towards her friend. She was planning to leave her alone with Tom, the little snake. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arche waggled his eyebrows, “I’ll help you in any way you need, Black,” he replied suggestively, picking his own bag that he’d just deposited up and sliding it over his shoulder. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom looked between them all, huffing in annoyance, “I’ll head back down to the dungeons then-“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nonsense.” Dorea cut him off, “Aurora here will do well with the company.” Aurora loved her most of the time, but Merlin did she want to throttle her right at this moment. Did she get no say in this at all?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom’s eyebrow raised towards Dorea, but her cold expression never faltered. The two appeared to have some sort of staring contest for an uncomfortably long stretch of time before he finally put his own bag where Arche’s had been not a moment ago, drawing out Dorea’s chair.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Very well.” He said slowly, “Avery, I’ll meet you in the Great Hall for lunch.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wouldn’t miss it,” Arche grinned, before offering his arm to Dorea and leading her through the stacks, Aurora glaring after them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once they’d disappeared from sight, she refocused her gaze on her new, very unwelcome, study partner. He’d already pulled out a book, flicking through absentmindedly as though it bored him completely. Insufferable bastard.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Begrudgingly, she pulled her own book back out from under her bag, being careful to open it before the light caught on the gilded lettering and draw any attention to it. She quickly found the page Dorea had turned to before and began to read. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When she finished the four pages dedicated to her particular area of interest, she re-read them. And then again. And then again. And then once more, just to make sure she wasn’t missing anything. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Making a wrong assumption about whatever reaction she or Tom had triggered was a mistake she could not afford to make. After all, if she was going to somehow reverse this connection, she needed to be certain it was done correctly, or they could both end up dead. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Almost two hours must have passed before she finally decided that maybe Dorea had been right to suddenly force her into proximity with Tom, something she’d been avoiding as much as possible. They really did need to talk, and what better time than when they were alone, silencing charms already protecting their surroundings. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She probably could have just called his name to grab his attention, but that wasn’t much fun. Instead, she braced herself and slammed her ankle into the table leg. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Holy fucking shit,” Tom hissed, jerking with the sudden impact he would have felt. His eyes shot up, landing on Aurora, “What the fuck was that for?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She shrugged, ignoring the now throbbing pain in her leg, “We need to talk.” She said simply. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you start every conversation by putting people in physical pain?” He shot back. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, but it was rather entertaining. I might incorporate it into my day to day interactions.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You truly are a raging bitch, Rosier.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And you’re an incorrigible cunt, Riddle, are we done stating the obvious?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom didn’t answer but slowly closed his book, tucking it into his bag. His face was set as he leant back, his eyes roaming over Aurora, who clasped her hands over her knee to stop herself from fiddling with anything. She never had been one to get nervous, but she wasn’t exactly dealing with any small matter at that moment. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She considered for a moment not following through. It would be easy enough to just turn the conversation towards what was and wasn’t an appropriate way to treat someone trying to teach you Occlumency, but it was only delaying the conversation, maybe even giving him time to work it out for himself. Despite the lack of resources he would have had available to him, Aurora didn’t want to doubt Tom’s abilities, it would be foolish. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think I have an answer.” She said finally. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom’s expression remained stoic, “Fantastic. May I know what the question was?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She rolled her eyes. So he wanted to be difficult today, did he? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The question, Riddle, is ‘what the fuck did Aurora or Riddle manage to do that caused the last two months to be an utter fucking nightmare.” She replied irritably.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He continued to sit perfectly still, although his eyebrow had quirked up, “Interesting,” he said slowly, “I was almost excited. Thought you may have finally realised I was right and you are jealous of the lovely Miss Fawley-“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Eliza Fawley has the backbone of a fucking flobberworm and would willingly bend over for any wizard who asked her to,” she hissed, cutting him off, “How many times will I have to tell you that I don’t give a fuck.” Aurora could feel the anger licking up her spine as she stared daggers across at him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“As many times as it takes to convince me, I suppose.” he shrugged. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She snorted, “It may shock you to know, Riddle, but I’m not going to waste my time pandering to your little fantasy about every girl in this castle being dick-whipped for you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That puts you in the minority then, you should have seen the looks Fawley got for getting to me first.” There was a confident smirk creeping up his face, and she wanted nothing more than to reach over and slap it right off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can promise you one thing, Riddle, not a single one of those girls would have you longer than a night. They want heirs, not arseholes who’ve placed themselves on self-made pedestals with little to no foundation.” She’d thought it’d wipe the smile off just as effectively as actually hitting him, but it looked as though she’d only further encouraged him, as he leant forward in his chair. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh come on, Rosier, you and I both know the foundations may as well be set in stone.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The mindless bitches fawning after you don’t. They’re simply shallow puppets raised to continue another wizard’s family name, nothing else.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom leant back in his seat again, his own hands clasping over his knee, copying her stance. He did that a lot, she’d noticed. Even before Christmas, they’d find themselves isolated, end up arguing, and end up sitting mirroring each other. It was like the universe created its own fucked-up foreshadowing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you sure? Your little friend Hornby seems rather taken with me.” he taunted, as though it were something new, or important. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora rolled her eyes, “I never said I excluded Olive from my generalisation, did I? She’s the worst of the lot.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What a cruel thing to say of one of your friends,” he drawled, as though he were in any position to criticise how she treated her friends. She thought back to Dorea’s mention of the boy’s behaviour around him, how they’d often look scared of him. She knew that the girls were cautious of her temper, but scared? Absolutely not. well, maybe with one exception…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I like to think of Olive as more of a tag-a-long. ‘Friend’ is a strong word.” She said with a tone of finality, signalling that she was quite done with that conversation. She’d ever so graciously not tried to curse him out of the library the moment the word ‘jealous’ had left his mouth, but that may have been because she subconsciously knew it would hardly benefit her anymore. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She sighed, trying to ease the tightness that had formed along her shoulders, throwing her head back and flexing out her neck, “I didn’t stay here to listen to your theories about my emotions. However, before I tell you what I’ve found, I want you to tell me exactly what you think happened. I refuse to sit here and believe that Tom Riddle was complacent in some form of magic that seemed borderline inexplicable.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was true. Her hours spent in the library coming up short had been infuriating, made even more so by the fact that she hadn’t seen him in there once doing anything other than homework. Had he simply not cared enough to even try to find out what had happened? Or had he just assumed she’d do all the work for him?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom shrugged, “I had just assumed you’d done something to be a spiteful little bitch and were willing to suffer the consequences for the sake of seeing me in pain.” He finished, as though it were completely obvious that she would have done such a thing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora’s mouth dropped open. And to think she’d thought he was conceited before, he’d just taken it to a whole other level.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You think I’d willingly bind myself to you, just to see you wince from me walking into a table? Was it not obvious that I had no fucking clue why I felt like I’d been </span>
  <em>
    <span>crucio’d</span>
  </em>
  <span> that evening?” She asked quietly. Did he honestly think that little of her?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, so it’s a type of bond?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course it’s a fucking bond!” She snapped, feeling herself growing angrier and angrier the longer he remained entirely impassive across the table. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His hand came up to scratch at his jaw, catching her eye once again as a shadow of a smirk crossed his face, “I must admit Rosier, I would have been rather disappointed if it was the only way you could come up with to put me through hell.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She couldn’t help but laugh at that. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, Riddle, we both know that you’re damned to hell as it is. Why would I waste my time trying to send you there prematurely?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He once again refused to satisfy her with a response, forcing another prolonged silence to stretch out between them. He really was one of the strangest creatures she’d ever met. Of course, he’d always been a presence in the year, it was impossible to have not noticed the strange boy who’d had no discernible magical background be sorted into Slytherin and from that moment on, dominated every single class, earning every teacher’s immediate doting praise. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yet he’d always seemed so quiet, with his small circle of few but important friends whom he barely made the effort to interact outside of. Aurora knew now though that the good little teacher’s pet had never really existed, it was all a facade to hide the evil that sat opposite her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maybe he wasn’t damned to hell, but set to return to his throne. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, you said you have an answer?” He asked, bringing her back from her thoughts. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She nodded once, looking down towards the book on the table in front of her. His gaze followed hers, landing on the purple cover, his brow furrowing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s from Malfoy’s library.” He stated. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She nodded once again in confirmation, “Yes. Pippa delivered it this morning.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The house elf?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rolling her eyes again, Aurora let out an impatient huff, “No, the peacock. Of course it was the fucking house elf.” She looked up, registering the look of confusion that briefly flashed across his features, “Trust me, I had no idea she was able to access the castle either until she was dropping boxes of pastries at the end of my bed.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom didn’t even bother to ask for elaboration, which was probably for the best. Aurora wasn’t sure how he’d react to knowing that Aurelia also knew the book was now in her possession. She could leave him to believe that it had just been an elf dropping it off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Go on then, what has the great Aurora Rosier deduced about our little predicament?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She scowled at his condescending tone but just wanted to get the meeting over and done with. She could have explained it herself, but it was hardly something she wanted to admit out loud. Instead, she pushed the book towards him, watching Tom’s eyes widen at the ornate heading. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Broken Soul Bonds were truly nasty bits of magic, but it appeared as though he already knew that. Raoul’s signet ring suddenly felt very heavy on her finger. </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0021"><h2>21. The Fool's Bond</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>
    <span>Over the years, many names have been given to this particular bond. Some call it the Fool’s Bond, others call it the Devil’s Bond. The one thing you can be certain of, my dear reader, is that very little good has been known to come from a Broken Soul Bond. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>When you opened this book, I would assume you were simply researching the more commonly known Soul Bond, a relatively harmless strain of soul magic centred around creature and purity of the heart and body. Unfortunately, this is the magical antithesis, founded upon death and destruction of one’s soul. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>This is due to the very specific formation requirements for creating a Broken Soul Bond. To even come within a hair’s breadth of forming a bond, one must already have a fractured soul. There are many ways in which one’s soul can splinter, the most commonly known of course being through the action of committing homicide. Lesser-known causes of fractured souls include unfinished or incorrectly performed soul rituals, and in extreme cases, the death of one’s soulmate if a strong enough connection had been forged between two people connected, their magic too tightly woven that the death of one leads to the destruction of another. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Whilst splintered or broken souls are a rare enough occurrence on their own, the further requirements needed to be met for this certain bond narrow down the opportunity to forge them even further. For two people to be bonded with such a curse, they must both be broken. The method with which they have been damaged is not of importance, a recent soul widow and a prolific serial killer would be able to bond quite well, however, the chances of two people meeting willing enough to divulge the state of their soul is often a barrier. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>The final case of the rarity of these bonds is the actual bonding process. This, my dear reader, is where I’m afraid to admit I fall somewhat short. You see, as I sit here writing this text, it is still unknown quite how or why the soul decides to form a Broken Soul Bond. What I can tell you, however, is that there must be some element of risk involved in the situation between the eligible witches or wizards involved. Whether this is the soul tethering itself to something in the hope of protecting its host from death, we do not know. For this reason, many of these bonds tend to have been formed between people who view each other less than favourably, most commonly being forged whilst one in the process of making an attempt on the other’s life.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Naturally, this has caused many people to liken this strand of magic to that of Horcruxes. This may be due to the misconception that the bond does indeed offer protection for the host, meaning one host cannot die as long as their counterpart is alive. This is where we truly run into the issue of this bond, as it has been proven that this is certainly not the case.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>In many documented cases of Broken Soul Bonds, one bonder has ended up either killing their bond-mate out of fear or surprise, or committing suicide due to the elusive nature of the magic. One would assume that the magic simply coexists inside both hosts, however, it has also been suggested that one soul may feed off of another, essentially draining other of their magic until one person has a whole soul once again, leaving the other akin so someone who has suffered a dementor’s kiss, void of the soul that has been adopted by another. Arguably, death is seen as favourable to finding out just what would happen were a Broken Soul Bond left to fester. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>There have been several reported symptoms of Broken Soul Bonds, one of the most common being shared sensations. These can vary in severity, ranging from single sensations such as taste or smell, up to sensations of pain or strong emotions, and in the worst cases reported, the appearance of bodily harm or previous scars from either counterpart. One of the less common but still widely reported symptoms include shared dreams. These tend to only occur when a witch or wizard has a particularly strong or important dream pertaining to an aspect of their magic, as the bond is able to identify what is or isn’t relevant to its formation, and therefore will decide whether or not the other needs to be present. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>A spattering of rare symptoms are also recorded in sporadic cases, including increased wants to further fracture one’s soul (often resulting in mass killings, although this tends to be related to those who have lost soul mates, and therefore still feel incomplete, even with the bond sealed), and stronger libidos (although this does not necessarily mean it is felt towards the person they are bonded with).</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Now, my dear reader, you may be wondering why this information was so difficult to come by. By now, I’m sure you must be thinking ‘well, this seems to only become truly dangerous when one or both of the bonded decide they are unhappy with the arrangement’ then I’m afraid you are very much mistaken. It is the breaking of the bond that makes this truly such a malicious piece of magic. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Whilst it is not known exactly why these bonds are formed, we do know how they are formed. When the risk is presented to the two witches or wizards, a form of magical protection will be triggered, often taking the form of a large shell. This prevents any extraneous magic from interfering with the bonding process, where the souls of those encased will quite literally leave their bodies, and sew together into one, before reentering. Many witches and wizards will often be rendered unconscious after this ordeal, generally causing some type of memory loss of the exact events, although some have managed to remain awake and report exactly what they saw. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Due to the intense connection these souls formed, it was theorised that to break a Broken Soul Bond, one must simply fracture the soul again, thus, it was decided that the only way to break a Broken Soul Bond, was by claiming yet another life in tandem, thus fracturing both souls enough to break them apart, and preventing them from latching onto each other again as they will have become too weak to warrant a want for protection from the other. The incantation created to supposedly split these souls can be found on the following pages.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I must warn you, however, this process has only been successfully recorded twice. Every other attempt has reported no chance in the bond symptoms, only the process of a counterpart inevitably dying was heavily increased. In no uncertain terms, there is very little you can do once afflicted with a Broken Soul Bond. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>A soul, for a soul, for a soul, for a soul. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Many view these bonds as a way of magic exercising its malevolence, taunting those who have fallen victim to the lures of dark or soul magic in the past, but others view them as cruel twists of fate. One of the rarest characteristics of these bonds manifest before any bonding has even occurred. Whilst strong shared sensations are very common amongst consummated bonds, some people have reported feeling one-way sensations before the bond has even taken place. Tending to be subtle feelings, some wizards have noted being able to feel particularly strong emotions reflective of the other’s or draws towards them. This has been reported to be a large factor in attempted murders that have led to the creation of Broken Soul Bonds, as said wizard has grown tired of feeling controlled by the other, but resulting in reinforced bonds being formed due to the connection that already connected the witches or wizards.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Now, my dear reader, if you read this passage purely out of interest for the magic of the soul, I hope I have been able to shed some semblance of light upon an area of magic so shrouded in mystery and uncertainty that I highly doubt this text will be viewed as a reliable source of information after publication. If, however, you read this text as you believe it is something that has affected you, then I’m afraid I must pass on my condolences. You have a very difficult road ahead of you, my dear reader, and I wish you luck on your journey to finding your whole self once again. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>*</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom stared down at the page, his mind racing with each word he took in. It was an almost perfect description of exactly what he and Aurora had been experiencing for the last two months, from the bonding process to the shared sensations. He wanted to speak, but his words died in his mouth every time he attempted to form them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We created a Broken Should Bond?” was all he managed, horrified to hear just how weak his voice sounded when he spoke. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looked up when Aurora didn’t immediately reply, catching her staring down at her hand, twisting the signet ring around her finger as she bit her lip. She nodded shallowly, inhaling deeply before lifting her head to meet his gaze. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>For once in his life, Tom genuinely found himself with nothing to say. Not even when he’d forced himself through his date with Fawley had he not been able to summon at least a shred of conversation, but now, sat across a table from Aurora, his mind completely gave up on him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I, um-,” Aurora began, swallowing as her eyes dropped back down to the book, and then her ring, “I think that we’re completely fucked.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom laughed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He felt the bubble of laughter ascend from his chest, bursting out of him as he continued to stare across the table, watching her face quickly turn to a scowl as light pain rippled around his ribs from the way his body shook. She’d really hit the nail on the head. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Rosier, if I could present you with a trophy for understatement of the year, then I would,” he forced out as his laughter finally dissipated, leaving the space between them painfully quiet once again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora continued to remain silent, watching Tom very closely as though waiting for a more thorough reaction from him. In all honesty, even Tom expected a bigger reaction from himself, but was still processing exactly what he’d read. There was no point mulling over the finer points of the bonding process - what was done was done in that regard, and it appeared not even the author was able to provide much clarity, but, unsurprisingly, one sentence had stood out to him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Of course, it would be magic comparable to Horcruxes, his soul having been bound to something else before he’d even managed to create his first. Worse yet, it was nothing that would provide even an ounce of the protection that his Horcrux would. If anything, it put him in more danger. Aurora was a fucking liability on her own, not to mention Grindelwald’s right-hand witch apparently. That had to have some form of target placed on her back. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His hands were caressing the rough leather cover of the book he’d recognised the second he’d watched her open it, berating himself for not having paid enough attention to its contents in the holidays. He knew he’d seen the particular book before, because it was one of the texts she’d thrown at him in his hunt for information. Wondering quite how she’d come to actually have the Malfoy text at school with her, his mind wandered as to how she’d even known which book to borrow from the library at the Manor. Had she been taking books for several weeks now, in search of exactly what she’d needed? Or -</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You already knew what Broken Should Bonds were, didn’t you?” He asked, all humour that he had allowed to slip through gone the second he’d opened his mouth. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora’s whole body went rigid, her fists clenched and knuckles turning white, “Yes,” she whispered, barely loud enough to hear. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Which means you knew how they were formed,” he continued, tone hardening still.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes,”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And you knew we both had fractured souls, and yet you still fucking tried to kill me,” he finished, blood now roaring past his ears. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her head shot up, her eyes now aflame, “How dare you!” she exclaimed, “You were the one who tried to </span>
  <em>
    <span>Avada</span>
  </em>
  <span> me first, and now this is my fault?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Suddenly very thankful for silencing charms, Tom shot back, “Yes, this is your fault. You knew about all of this, and yet you still insisted on duelling me for no reason other than nursing your ever-inflating ego.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She barked a grim laugh, “We were drunk, Riddle, forgive me for not considering every fucking facet of magic and its possible consequences in the ten minutes between my challenge and trying to kill each other.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He seethed, running his hands through his hair, “Rosier, do you have any idea what this means for me?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“For you?” she spat, “for </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span>? I’m sorry, I wasn’t aware this only affected you, let me just go about my life fucking dandy like nothing has happened-“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Horcruxes,” he hissed, revelling in the sight of her mouth quickly snapping shut, “You see, I’m afraid this has quite derailed my plans for this year. Plans that now, unfortunately for me, will have to also involve you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora snorted indignantly, “If you think I’m going to help you make a fucking Horcrux—“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh I don’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>think</span>
  </em>
  <span>, I know—“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your head is so far up your own arse —“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is your mess too, Rosier, you will help me—“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fucking make me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Their mouths both snapped shut at the same time, her words reverberating around Tom’s head like a siren. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Fucking make me</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Oh, he sure would. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I plan to. You’ll find I can be rather persuasive</span>
  <em>
    <span>,</span>
  </em>
  <span>” he drawled, closing the book and pushing it back across the table towards Aurora. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She snorted again, looking as though she were about to fire back with another scathing remark, until her face suddenly fell slack. Her brow furrowing as she pulled the book further towards her, and opened it back up, flicking quickly through to the page he could only imagine detailed their topic of conversation. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He wanted to roll his eyes, and question exactly what she felt was important enough to refuse to reply to him. Truly, she was one of the rudest witches he had ever met. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It appeared, however, that in the moments he had taken to wallow in his dislike of her, that Aurora had found exactly what she was looking for. Her head came up again, her eyes boring straight into his once more. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Horcruxes,” she said simply. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, they are causing quite an issue for me, well done,” he replied, actually rolling his eyes this time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, no.” She shook her head, turning the page so he could read the passage she was pointing at. He’d expected to see the passage regarding the differences between the two forms of magic but was rather surprised to find that not the case. She was instead highlighting the detailing of breaking the bond, “The book says that, theoretically, breaking the bond requires you to fracture your soul further. It doesn’t specify whether that means only internally or splitting it off into another host-“ her voice trailed off, but Tom knew exactly what she was suggesting. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You think that, if I create a Horcrux, we have a chance of breaking the bond?” He asked, somewhat incredulous, given that only moments ago she’d sworn to never help with the Horcruxes again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She nodded her confirmation, “Yes, I am.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His eyebrow quirked, “You understand that this may not work, don’t you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She only stared at him like he were an utter fucking idiot, mouth agape, “Riddle, it literally says in the book open on the desk in front of me that most people with Broken Soul Bonds either kill each other before the effects kick in or soon after they start. Forgive me for wanting to take the risk.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He sighed deeply, “And what if one of us dies trying?” He’d wanted to only ask what she’d do if she died, feeling confident that even so, his attempt to make a Horcrux would protect him, but didn’t want to stir the cauldron anymore than necessary when she looked liable to physically assault him any moment. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Much to his surprise, she only shrugged, “I’d rather be dead than bonded to you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Merlin, that was rather unnecessary. He couldn’t quite say he felt that same, given that not-dying was sort of the whole purpose of his troubles, but he understood the sentiment. Regardless, it was still unnecessary to verbalise it quite so strongly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And anyway,” she continued, “It’s not as though the bond is going to be as strong as it could be. We didn’t have any of the pre-bonding sensations—“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom’s breath caught in his throat. He considered not telling her for a brief moment but decided that keeping it a secret would not benefit either of them long term. If the magic was stronger than she assumed, then their efforts to undo it may not be sufficient. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That isn’t true, actually,” he said quickly, clearing his throat as he did. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora’s eyes widened in surprise, “What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I said, ‘that isn’t true, actually’” he repeated slowly, as Aurora’s face shifted through several different emotions, never quite settling on one. He pushed on, not waiting for her to form a response, “Since September. When you were angry, or even near me, I could feel a kind of nagging. Depending on how strongly you were reacting to certain situations depended on how I felt. Do you remember the lesson with Professor Dumbledore? When you conjured the flock of ravens?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She nodded wordlessly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I felt like I wanted to rip the head off of anyone who breathed too loudly near me. I couldn’t explain why, since you were the only one in the room who looked quite as irate as I felt, and it drove me mad for weeks trying to figure out why. I suppose we have an answer now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She took her bottom lip between her teeth, chewing at it momentarily before releasing it and running her tongue over the tooth marks she’d left, “That was the day he’d implied Grindelwald was growing weak,” was all she supplied. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah.” Tom nodded, not quite sure what he was meant to do with that little nugget of rather useless information. Her sudden need to share was hardly appreciated. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re more fucked than I originally thought, then.” Aurora surmised, running her hands through her hair, ruining the perfectly placed curls. Tom could only hum his agreement. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We are,” he began, “but it sounds as though you already have a plan to fix it.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not really,” she shrugged, “It was simply a suggestion. It’s you who has the planning to do. After all, I just need to recite this,” she pointed towards the lengthy Latin incantation provided, “whilst you do what you need to do. If it works, fantastic, we’re free. If not,” Aurora sighed deeply, resting back into her seat, “well, we both know what we try if it doesn’t work.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kill someone. Together. The thought brought a hundred images to the front of Tom's mind, most clearly the image of her in her dream taunting and eventually killing that Potter girl, but fainter, less defined, were scenes his mind created, of her committing a plethora of other villainies against her poor victims. They weren’t unwelcome images. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I suppose it’s fortuitous that I already have everything in place, I was simply waiting for the right time to do it,” he replied. Weeks of planning had finally come to an end only a few days previous. The actual object he’d intended to use finally decided upon, Tom had only had left to worry about the Aurora aspect of his task. Days previous, he’d been concerned about the shared sensations, whether or not she would somehow know what he was doing, however, it now appeared as though it was not quite as problematic as he’d assumed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Those plans being?” she encouraged, head tilted to the side as he’d clearly piqued her interest. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He only smiled in response, “No, I’m not discussing that in length here. You can meet me in the Room of Requirement on Sunday night. Possibly double up our little conversation with my second lesson?” He was pained to admit that he’d been almost restless waiting to continue their Occlumency sessions, especially given Aurora’s blatant disregard for organising them in a timely fashion. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Granted, she’d only agreed to five lessons. She’d never specified how frequently they’d be. For all he knew, they could be drawing them out over several months. He wouldn’t put it past her to make it years, even. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She considered his proposal for a moment, her tongue running over her teeth, and fittingly with the signet ring almost obsessively, twisting it up and down her finger. He quietly smirked to himself. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, fine,” she said decidedly, “Sunday night in the Room of Requirement.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She extended a hand across the table, the same way she’d done all those weeks ago when she’d offered her seemingly disregarded truce in the Malfoy Library. Only he wanted to make sure his intentions this time were far clearer. He did take her hand, only he brought it to his lips, watching her eyes widen in a mixture of shock and horror as his lips gently brushed her knuckles.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lovely,” he whispered, dropping her hand and watching fall straight down to her side, scooping up his satchel and slinging it over his shoulder, “Now if you excuse me, Rosier, I have something to attend to.” He didn’t wait for a reply, turning on his heel and marching straight out the room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Anyone who passed him in the corridor must have thought him mad, his face now displaying the full extent of his smugness. Once again, he’d momentarily stumped Aurora Rosier, and left her hanging. The move she always loved to pull on other’s turned back onto her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His steps never faltered as he strode confidently back down into the entrance hall and up the main staircase to the second floor, glad that lessons were still in action and the halls seemed void of students completely. Tracing his way through several other corridors, making sure no one was around to follow him, he finally reached his destination. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Since the events of last year, the second-floor girl’s toilets had been strictly forbidden, so he felt no need to worry about anyone being on the other side of the door. Casting one more careful eye along the corridor, Tom cracked the door open and slid inside, careful to quickly cast a locking charm. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It appeared rather quickly that he was wrong to not worry about the room being vacant. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Muffled sobs rang out in the cavernous room, the source being hidden behind a closed cubicle door. He really should have quietly unlocked the door and slipped out, but he simply didn’t want to. Worst comes to worst, he could pull the prefect card, announce that the room was off-limits and he was simply checking to see that the rules were being abided by. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He took a step forward, the sound of his foot against the hard floor reverberating around the high ceiling. The sobs ceased, the should of someone sniffing replacing them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who’s there?” called out a wavering, watery voice. It sounded familiar, although the slight distortion stopped Tom from being able to identify exactly where he knew it from. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He didn’t respond, instead continued to walk towards the cubicle, finding the door not entirely closed but slightly ajar, as though it had been slammed in haste. He gently pushed it open, revealing the mess of dark blonde curly hair and Slytherin robes collapsed pitifully against the hard stone wall. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hornby?” he asked, shocked to see the usually prim Olive Hornby looking up at him, eyes puffy and red as she wiped frantically at her cheeks, trying to erase the tear tracks that stained her face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“R-Riddle?” she stuttered, swelling as she continued to rub her face, “What are you doing in here?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I could ask you the same question,” he replied, eyebrow raised, “These toilets are off-limits. They have been since June.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He hadn’t expected his reply to reduce her to tears once again. Sobs wracked her small body as fresh tears spilt over her eyes, burying her face into her knees.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s-it’s all my-</span>
  <em>
    <span>all my fault</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” she wailed, continuing to shake. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Not entirely sure what to do, although rather intrigued by her reaction, Tom crouched down just outside the door, “What do you mean, it’s your fault, Hornby?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She continued to scry, sniffling as her head turned to the side and he caught a glimpse of her one of her swollen eyes, “I- I found - I found the body-“ she heaved with renewed sobs, “I found the girl’s body that day. In June.” Her voice cracked at the final word, her knees dropping as her hands came up to cradle her face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ah, yes, that was something he’d all but forgotten about. Tom remembered the day of Myrtle’s death rather clearly, or he liked to think he did. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’d made sure he was as far away from said bathroom at all costs. He’d been in the Chamber that morning, issuing the command to the Basilisk that she was to leave once again that day, </span>
  <em>
    <span>hunt to kill</span>
  </em>
  <span>, he’d told her. Exceptionally clever creatures, Basilisks were, his in particular, a daft hand at sniffing out mudbloods. He’d not been particular, it just so happened that Myrtle Warren had walked straight into her path, and ultimately paid the price. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’d made sure he was in position to speak to Professor Dippet as soon as anybody was found, and immediately assert his alibi. He doubted he’d be viewed as a suspect, but no one was ever hurt from making sure. Much to his annoyance, it had been Professor Dumbledore who had questioned him, that fucking omniscient twinkle in the fool’s eyes the whole time. Still, his accusations towards the fourth year had been successful. He’d walked away having done what he’d set out to achieve. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>What he hadn’t banked on, was the fallout for anyone else. He’d spared little to no thought for the mudblood’s family, they were nothing but filthy muggles, after all, but as he looked upon the weeping girl to his side, he was reminded that he could never be too careful when cleaning up after himself. He’d known Olive had come across the body of Myrtle, but simply assumed she’d just reported it and moved it. It never occurred that she would have been so deeply affected by such a thing, let alone blame herself. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom did all he could to not huff in annoyance. This was the second overly emotional female he’d had to deal with today. To say he was inexperienced in this field was an understatement. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Finding Myrtle’s-“ the mention of her name only made it worse, another loud wail leaving Hornby, “-body doesn’t mean it was your fault,” he said steadily, not even attempting to adopt a comforting tone. He wasn’t sure he’d even be able to if he tried.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” she groaned, heaving forward, “I didn’t-</span>
  <em>
    <span>hiccup</span>
  </em>
  <span>-I didn’t just </span>
  <em>
    <span>find</span>
  </em>
  <span> her, she was in here because of me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom faltered for a moment. Now that </span>
  <em>
    <span>was</span>
  </em>
  <span> new information. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry, Hornby, but I’m afraid I don’t quite understand,” he said, reaching out to place a hand on her shoulder, imitating someone who may have cared in the situation beyond selfish interest. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She trembled under his touch, pulling her robes tighter around her frame, “Please don’t think too-too awfully of me if I tell you,” she whispered. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I assure you, I will not,” Tom replied, being the most sincere thing he’d said since walking into the cubicle that day. What he obviously left out, was that it would be incredibly hypocritical of himself to think badly of her given the context, since he’d been the one to actually kill the girl. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hornby took a deep breath, pointedly turning her face away from him, “That-that day, I had been make-making fun of her, and-and she ran into the bathroom,” she shuddered, taking another deep breath, “I came back later to see where-where she was after Pro-Professor Bings asked why she was absent and- Merlin, Riddle, she was fucking </span>
  <em>
    <span>dead</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” Sobs took her over once again, shaking her whole body as she fell to the side, leaning into the placebo comfort of his light touch. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He resisted the urge to recoil as she continued to cry, not wanting to appear completely heartless, but not feeling it necessary to offer any verbal comfort. Just his being there was surely good enough. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They stayed like that for what felt like several minutes, her tears never stemming their flow, despite her frequent attempts to speak. Tom wanted to shake some sense into her, but once again felt it would be somewhat insensitive. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It was here.” The sound of her shaky voice brought Tom back to reality.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do you mean, it was here?” he asked, almost certain he knew what the girl meant, but still wanting to hear her say it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This cubicle is-is where she was.” She looked down to the floor between them, eyes glistening, “she was sprawled out on the floor. I called for help but no one came immediately. I just stood there. Staring at her. Have you ever seen a dead body, Riddle?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The memory of watching the stretcher be carried through the school hallways flashed across the forefront of his mind, the way the white sheet they had used to protect her modesty had flowed in the gently ever-present breeze of the Hogwarts corridors. It suddenly occurred to Tom that he had actually never seen the fruit of his labour. Myrtle’s body had bypassed him completely. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A second memory suddenly came into view. The dream he’d witness in Aurora’s mind, the sight of a dark-haired girl’s throat being slashed open as she choked on her own blood, before crumpling to the floor in a blaze of green light. Did someone else’s memory count?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He continued to look down to Hornby, realising his hand had come to rest more comfortably on her shoulder the longer he’d considered his answer, “No,” he finally replied, “I suppose I’m rather lucky in that regard.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hornby nodded quickly in agreement, “It’s the worst thing you’ll ever see. Her eyes were wide open, but there was nothing there. Her-her glasses were over there.” She pointed towards the sinks, “But I suppose that was rather fitting. I’d-I’d been teasing her about the glasses when she came in here,” another deep breath, “I guess it was only right that, when I found her, they were gone. Nothing separating me and her cold, dead eyes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom couldn’t form a response, half in shock and half in awe of exactly what he was hearing. He knew he’d killed a girl that day, but he’d had no idea he’d entirely traumatised another. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She continued to sniffle for several moments more, before taking one last deep breath and pushing herself back to an upright position, “I’m, um, sorry about that,” she said quickly, “I’m not quite sure what came over me.” Gathering her robes tighter around herself, she crawled onto her knees, letting Tom’s hand fall from her shoulder and standing up. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom followed suit, moving back to allow her space to leave. She seemed to hesitate for a moment before shuffling past, her face now red raw from where she’d been using her sleeve to try and remove the traces of her tears. Tom cast one more look at the small stall, turning his attention back to the sinks, where Hornby was now intently gazing at herself in the mirror. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know,” she began quietly, “sometimes I think she’s still here. Like she’s trying to haunt me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Like a ghost?” Tom replied, somewhat taken aback by the honesty of the girl he was certain he’d never had a full conversation with was indulging him in. Did grief do this to people?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She hummed in response, “It’s why I come in here. I think I’ve convinced myself that if I accept what I’ve done, I won’t be chased by the memories for the rest of my life. But I-I can’t let anyone see me like this, or they’d know what I’d done. Can you imagine what Aurora would say about me? If she saw me in a pile on the floor of a school bathroom?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He didn’t reply, but he could hear Aurora’s voice quite clearly in his head, bemoaning the pathetic nature of Hornby’s breakdown, calling her weak. It wasn’t far off his own opinion, to be honest. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But I’ve seen you like this now, Hornby,” he said slowly, “and I know what you’ve done. You just told me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh Merlin, I did.” Her eyes widened, as though she’d only just realised exactly what had happened. It sent a spark of satisfaction through his whole body, the thought of her having divulged all that she had without even realising it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She whipped round to face him, the eyes she’d previously dried welling up once again, “Riddle, I beg you, please don’t tell anyone what I’ve said. It would destroy me,” she pleaded, her whole body trembling as she held back her sobs once again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Merlin, she was placing a hell of a lot of trust on him, wasn’t she? The naive little girl. Still, allowing her to wallow in the fact that her secret was now very much at risk was even more entertaining. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can assure you, this will go no further. It can remain between you and me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She visibly settled, wiping at her eyes one last time before turning back to the mirror, “Fuck, this is going to be a nightmare to hide,” she moaned, reaching into her robes for her wand, to assumedly cast her glamour charms. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom had to agree, he’d seen Avery and Malfoy cast their fair share of glamour charms in his time at Hogwarts, and already knew that they had to be cast slowly, as to not completely conceal every feature on one’s face. Still, he knew a thing or two about the charms, not one to ever be willing to lack in any department. He reached for his own wand just as she began to lift hers. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Allow me,” he said quietly, wordlessly waving his wand at the back of her head, watching the face in the reflection slowly transform back to Horny’s usual look, her eyes de-puffed and face draining of the excess blood that had gathered beneath the surface, “There we go. Now, may I advise that you head back down to the dungeons, lest you get caught leaving here before classes end?” he suggested, quietly tucking the want back into the side pocket. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hornby’s face was strangely unreadable when she turned back to him, “Oh, um, yes, of course,” was all she said before reaching for the door, pulling at it before realising he’d locked it, muttering a rushed </span>
  <em>
    <span>alohomora</span>
  </em>
  <span> before cracking it open ever so slightly, “and um, thank you, Riddle,” she was gone before he could reply. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He stared at the place she’d disappeared from for a few moments, wanting to be completely sure she wouldn’t come back in. Another locking charm cast, he returned to the sinks, allowing his fingers to brush against the ancient brass fixtures that adorned the taps. Ornate snakes weaving in and out of each other, spiralling up the sides of the mirrors. It was a bloody miracle no one had ever considered that this may possibly be the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets given how overt the decor was. He quite wanted to meet the witch or wizard who’d decided on those particular details and ask if they’d intend them to be quite so stupid. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His issues with the design aspect pushed aside, he stood back and closed his eyes, calling deep into his mind, allowing himself to be taken over by the familiar buzz he felt every time he used his birthright gift. He spoke his command, the parseltongue spilling out of his mouth and hearing the hiss ring around the air surrounding him, mixing with the heavy grinding of stone as the centrepiece of the room shifted to an opening. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>With a final check on his locking charm, Tom felt a small smirk grace his lips before he dropped into the darkness below.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you so much for reading! As I'd said a couple of chapters ago, I'm in a pretty heavy revision mode at the moment and battling my English Lit induced brain rot was a bit of a challenge, but we got there eventually. Thank you to my Olive-loving friends for inadvertently inspiring the end of this chapter, I hope you won't hate me too much &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Green Isn't Your Colour</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Aurora had been eleven when her aunt had first sat her down in an ornately decorated receiving room and explained what sex was to her. </p><p>However, very quickly after, it became apparent that it was far from the conversation any of her friend parents or governesses were having. Instead of telling her it was something special done between two people who loved and cherished each other, something that was used to forge a deeper connection between them, Vinda Rosier had told Aurora of how she would be able to use sex to control people, and retrieve information. </p><p>Told it was less about pleasure and more about staking her claim of those she wanted to own. She was told that wizards would do almost anything for sex, they would lie, cheat and steal to have their way with a beautiful witch. Merlin, some would be willing to spill their darkest secrets for a night in bed together. Furthermore, other witches could easily be made to feel inferior if they had not been deemed worthy of such attention. </p><p>It was a lesson Aurora had taken in and internalised, just like everything else Vinda had taught her over the many years she’d been left in her care. Even when Gueneviere had attempted to have a similar conversation with her the year after, in the ten minutes she had allowed for her mother-daughter bonding before shipping her straight off to France again, Aurora had simply stood there, half-listening to her mother’s incessant prattling about how she should be waiting until marriage or no respectable wizard would care to lay a hand on her, lest she ends up like one of the Carrow slags reduced to selling themselves in Knockturn Alley. </p><p>Truthfully, Aurora hadn’t seen an issue with what the Carrow ladies were doing. They were getting wizards to part with their precious galleons, after all, she deemed it a far more honest trade than sleeping with their husband’s friends and work colleagues. Quite honestly, Gueneviere had had no place to comment on the moralities of sex. </p><p>She’d carried that belief with all through her first four years of school, watching her friends developing crushes on the boys they thought were the most handsome, the best at Quidditch or, generally in Olive’s case, the richest. But of course, Aurora had only cared about the ones with influential parents. They didn’t even have to be pretty, she could just close her eyes, after all. </p><p>It wasn’t until the very start of her fifth year that she’d put her knowledge into action. Theodore Nott was a slightly strange boy. He was lanky and never seemed to know quite what to do with his excessively long limbs, but his father was the head of the Department of International Magical Affairs, and Aurora found him to be rather loose-lipped when in his state of post-coital bliss. Milking information his father had shared with him in regards to Gellert’s whereabouts and any Ministry theories on where he’d be next was easier than taking sweets from a baby. </p><p>Of course, poor Theodore had expected Aurora to drop everything and accept his betrothal offer after, only to become incredibly sulky when she declined, and then she slept with his roommate, Atticus Greengrass, just to drill the point home. Granted, Atticus wasn’t quite as well connected as Theo had been, but what could she say? Quidditch players just did something for her. </p><p>She found very quickly that many teenage boys were, in fact, willing to share things their parents had sworn them to secrecy over for a chance to get in her knickers, and so her reputation for being a bit of a scarlet woman soon emerged. As she’d suspected, most of these whispers came from sour sixth and seventh-year girls, jealous of the attention that a silly little fifth year was getting from their prospective husbands. She never truly cared, of course, she was reaping the benefits of her numerous arrangements far more than any of her partners. </p><p>Sex became nothing more than a business exchange, something she’d do when she was unsure of exactly what Vinda and Gellert were planning after a long spell of no vaguely worded letters disguised as Flourish and Blott’s book deliveries. By the time she’d started her sixth year, every meaning sex was meant to hold had been completely lost on her. </p><p>Gueneviere probably would have said she really was no better than the Carrow slags, only the men were paying her with secrets instead of galleons. </p><p>That was until Raoul came into the picture. Of course, she’d noticed him before, just as she’d noticed Abraxas and Arche, but the idea of going to bed with one of Tom Riddle’s strange little group had always put her off. It was too close to the weird boy she’d never quite made her mind up on, so she’d bitten the bullet and avoided the sons of two of the Ministry’s most influential men, and Avery, bless him. </p><p>Yet at the start of that year, he’d made himself known in a way that Aurora hadn’t seen before. And when he’d finally fucked her after the longest period of flirting and dancing around each other that she’d ever endured, it had been like nothing she’d ever felt before. He was slow and careful, Always putting her first, worshipping her at every step, showering her in affection. She’d thought she finally found what Thea and Dorea had always gossiped about, that special connection between two people who valued each other. </p><p>Of course, she’d ended up too close to Riddle after all. The lack of the no strings attached nature she’d grown so used to in the year she’d been exercising her control over her little pool of Hogwarts males hadn’t prepared her for outside interference to such a degree. He was relentless, seeming to make a point to never be far from her and Raoul, regardless of whether he was attempting to avoid her at the time or not. </p><p>The bond one made everything worse, all building up to that fucking Valentine’s day, where she’d had to sit and feel every moment of his pleasure with another air-headed bint. She still hadn’t figured it out though, had she? No, not until they were sat in the library together, and he was kissing her knuckles smiling like the fucking Cheshire Cat from the muggle book one of her governesses had been fired for reading to her, that she realised he was playing the exact same game as her, just with a different end goal. </p><p>She was fucking boys to draw out information, he was fucking girls to build a following of admirers to fuel his desire for power. And he was fucking Fawley to get into Aurora’s head, to make her even more aware of his fucked up fantasy of her bowing to him, showing her that he had more girls willing than not. </p><p>It was all games with Tom Riddle, wasn’t it? It was unfortunate for him that Aurora never lost. </p><p>*</p><p>Just as she’d hoped, the remainder of Friday and the whole of Saturday passed relatively quickly, the last remnants of snow that had blanketed the Hogwarts grounds having at least melted under the early March sunlight. The whole castle seemed to buzz with the younger students' anticipation for summer once again, where the older students lamented the final few weeks they’d be afforded free time before O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s began again. </p><p>As usual, Aurora opted to spend most of her time with Raoul, although her finished course of research meant that, for once, they were able to be together outside the confines of the school library. Instead, she’d sat in the Quidditch stands, laughing as he attempted a series of ridiculously complex dives and manoeuvres, barely avoiding a trip to the Medical Wing several times. </p><p>Afterwards, they’d traipsed back up to the castle, meeting Thea and Dorea by the door, Olive conspicuously absent once again, before claiming the largest set of sofas Slytherin common room had to offer and hunkering down over hot chocolate that Arche had collected from the kitchens in lieu of actually going down for dinner. Much the same as Olive, Tom was also nowhere to be seen, although she couldn’t say she cared quite as much. </p><p>Sunday, however, dragged on longer than any day Aurora could remember. When she woke with the strips of water-distorted sunlight peeking through the heavy drapes of her bed, she’d expected her clock to read something along the lines of 10 AM, but her hopes of any form of lay in were shattered by the small hands pointing to 7:24 AM. Deciding that it was foreshadowing of how her day would go, she’d opted to take a shower then and pray that the thirteen hours she had between then and meeting Riddle were just as fleeting as her previous two days. </p><p>As always, time seemed to be cruel to her that day. The five hours between emerging from the small bathroom in her dorm and going down to meet the boys for lunch felt like a whole week in itself. No matter how long she tried to read for, no matter how many essays she added the finishing touches to, every minute apparently wanted to last an hour. The return of Olive and the reinstated monotonous drone of worthless gossip didn’t help either. </p><p>The never-ending afternoon was spent with Abraxas and Arche, lounging in an empty classroom, something she’d found to become more and more common since the Christmas Holidays. Of course, she’d been friends with Abraxas since they were barely walking, but after having grown apart over the first few years she’d spent at Hogwarts, it was nice to be back in his company again. Not to mention Arche, who turned out to be one of the funniest people she’d ever spent time with. </p><p>Aurora supposed that the boys were a light in the endless darkness that Tom had plunged her into that year. As suspected, Raoul was off at Quidditch practice again, his determination to beat the Ravenclaws in their next game having become a borderline obsession in the recent weeks. She didn’t mind as much as she thought she would, knowing that he was only doing what he had to do to succeed, something she could wholly understand. </p><p>Dinner did eventually come and go, the Great Hall filled with every type of roasted meat and vegetable one could imagine as it was every Sunday, Aurora’s plate piled with venison, carrots, mashed potatoes and gravy. Dorea had always said she found her taste for venison questionable, as most of her friends could never stomach the earthier tasting meat, but Aurora would never say it was the memories of eating something similar in France that drove her love of it. </p><p>Yet despite the plate full of food she’d normally spend a whole week looking forward to, she found herself not able to stomach any of it. Once again, Tom was absent from the table, and all Aurora could do was think about their meeting now only half an hour away. Even as Raoul took her hand underneath the table, smiling to himself as he played with the ring on her finger in the same way she so often found herself doing, her thought seemed to stray to a different tall, dark-haired boy, and she hated it. </p><p>It was no secret to her that Lord Lestrange was becoming relentless in his hunt for a wife for Raoul, especially after such a public display for Abraxas and Thea’s. No matter how hard he’d tried to hide it, she’d seen the owls arriving almost every other day for the last two months, and though she’d never been privy to any of the letters, she could only guess they were rife with names of eligible girls or prompts to move along with Aurora. </p><p>She’d been in half a mind to contact her father and ask if he’d received anything from Lord Lestrange himself, although decided against it, following her usual mantra of never contacting her immediate family unless it was entirely necessary. Etienne would never be able to approve her betrothal for her anyway, regardless of how much badgering was done by every other Pureblood father in England. </p><p>Still, it didn’t stop the nagging guilt she still felt every time Raoul caught sight of the ring still on her finger, knowing full well she’d never be the one who wore it forever. She’d known from the very beginning they’d never be allowed to last, after all, it was only a matter of time before she’d have to give it back to him.</p><p>As 9 PM finally rolled around, she made a comment about extra prefect duties to the table, kissed Raoul’s cheek and made off for the seventh-floor corridor. Unlike last time, Tom was not waiting for her in the hall, and she could only assume he’d already entered. Remembering the way he’d paced back and forth along the wall that first night he’d brought her here, she copied the movements, feeling incredibly satisfied as a similarly ornate door materialised from the stone. </p><p>She reached for the handle, noticing that it was heavy bronze instead of silver this time, and pushed open, allowing a small gasp to escape her at what was presented beyond. Resembling Septimus Malfoy’s Gentlemen’s Room, deep emerald walls surrounded two black velvet sofas, one of which was occupied by a very comfortable looking Tom. </p><p>He was sprawled out with a book in his lap, wearing a grey turtleneck as opposed to his usual uniform that he never seemed to change out of. He looked up at the sound of Aurora closing the door behind her, a small smile playing at the corner of his mouth. </p><p>“Good evening Rosier,” he greeted, closing his book and swivelling around so he was no longer laying down. </p><p>“Riddle,” she nodded cordially, moving to take a seat opposite him. </p><p>The change of appearance had Aurora rather taken back. She’d never considered Tom to be someone who was capable of simply looking comfortable, there was always an air of unease surrounding him. It may have been intentional, she could be sure, but it was very noticeable. </p><p>She reasoned with herself, she’d seen him out of uniform for the whole Christmas holiday, but even then he always appeared to be wearing a suit jacket or formal robes. His plain top and trousers may as well have been loungewear. </p><p>“When you’re done staring at me, would you like to get to the matter at hand?” he asked, having obviously noticed her unintentional lingering gaze. </p><p>Bringing her eyes up to meet him, she shook off any sort of apprehension she’d accumulated in the brief moments after sitting down, “Of course. We’ll discuss your matters first, then I’ll test your Occlumency.”</p><p>It was an order she’d mulled over for the last two days. She’d wanted nothing more than to plough straight into his mind, try and rip it apart whilst he struggled to fend her off, but knew he’d end up in a heinous mood if she’d done so from the get-go, and likely storm out. Instead, she’d let him sing about his Horcrux plans first, boast of his magical research and just how well he’d done. </p><p>Tom didn’t dispute her proposal, nodding in agreement, “Very well. Luckily for you, I’d had these plans in place for a few weeks now. Factoring you into them took me very little effort.”</p><p>“I’m eternally grateful,” she rolled her eyes in response to the condescending tone he’d suddenly adopted, hinting very heavily that she was quite the hindrance to his plans.</p><p>“Now, I’m sure you must be wondering where on earth I had planned to create a Horcrux in school,” he continued, leaving her just enough time to huff, “Well, the answer is quite simple; We will be using the Chamber of Secrets.”</p><p>Aurora’s jaw went slack.</p><p>Tom smirked, “Don’t try to voice too many opinions at once now, Rosier.”</p><p>Was he joking? Did he honestly think he was a fucking comedian? She stared at him for a moment longer, wondering if he’d finally lost his fucking mind, maybe shagging one too many mindless whores was rubbing off on him. His unwavering confidence suggested that he was quite serious about his proposal. </p><p>“You want me to go down into the Chamber of Secrets?” she asked, incredulous. </p><p>“I’m sorry, were you under the impression that I’d use highly illegal magic to spilt my fucking soul in the middle of breakfast? I thought you were meant to be smart,” he taunted, arms now stretched across the back of the sofa as he looked her over. </p><p>“Forgive me, Riddle, but maybe your open acceptance of the fact you have a <em> Basilisk </em> down there would afford my concerns.”</p><p>He rolled his eyes, as though she were making the most mundane of complaints, “Who was the one calling her a silly pet snake? And she won’t be a problem, she only feeds on Mudbloods, and if I command her to sleep, then she will.”</p><p>“For the last fucking time, you really should stop holding things I’ve said or done whilst intoxicated against me,” Aurora bemoaned, “and ‘she’? Really? Don’t tell me the Basilisk has a name.”</p><p>Tom fucking grinned. Again. </p><p>“Only if you want me to tell you.”</p><p>“You know what, that’s something that can wait for another day,” Aurora replied quickly, not particularly wanting to linger on the thought of the beastly snake snuggled up in a chamber she was expected to perform forbidden magic in. </p><p>Tom there his hands up in mock surrender, “If you insist, although I must tell you she may take offence to your so obvious lack of respect—“</p><p>“For the love of all things good and pure get back on topic or I swear to Merlin, Circe and Morgana I will walk out,” he interrupted, aware that someone walking out was exactly what she’d been aiming to avoid, but knowing minor threats were often necessary to get Tom talking. </p><p>“Okay, okay,” he sighed, “I don’t have a specific date in mind, but the sooner the better if it means we have a chance of breaking this bond, no?”</p><p>Aurora hummed her approval, signalling for him to move swiftly on. </p><p>“To get down to the Chamber, you’ll need to have me with you - the mechanics of actually accessing the entrance are rather, particular, shall we say,” he smirked, looking very fucking full of himself. </p><p>“Riddle, we have inadvertently bonded ourselves using magic barely seen in the last century. Any pretence of shock or amazement I may hold towards your little Slytherin Secrets quite honestly pale in comparison, despite the Basilisk. Spit out whatever you so clearly want to brag about, please,” she snapped, sighing deeply and relaxing further into the sofa, rubbing gently at her temple with her free hand. </p><p>“Fine. Only a parselmouth can open the Chamber. Of which I am one.” His look of pride was quickly dampened by the indifferent shrug Aurora displayed. </p><p>“Well, obviously?” She said, “You just told me you could control a Basilisk, did you honestly not think that that combined with the whole ‘Heir to Slytherin’ thing would be enough for me to infer that maybe you were a snake whisperer?”</p><p>“Are you normally this dismissive of people when they express that they have talents you don’t possess?” Tom asked, an irritated edge to his voice. </p><p>“Yes, because there’s normally several more things that only <em> I </em> know how to do. Now, you’re wasting time again. More of this plan, please.”</p><p>She thought she heard a muttering of <em> bitch </em>, but decided to not press. Anything more would delay her chance to finally rifle through that mind of his with the excuse of his education. </p><p>“After that is quite simple. We enter the Chamber, I create the Horcrux, you complete the spell from the book about Broken Soul Bonds, and we hopefully sever the connection. Any questions?”</p><p>Aurora has several questions, actually, most prevalently being the small matter of how he expected either of them to leave the Chamber once the spell was cast. From what she knew, the process of creating a Horcrux was one of excruciating pain, since it was forcibly removing something from one’s body, after all. She wasn’t sure whether I was a lack of knowledge or sheer confidence from Tom that prevented him from elaborating on that aspect of his plan, but right then, she couldn’t say she was too bothered. She would cross that bridge when she came to it. </p><p>“No, as you said, it’s all rather simple,” she replied decidedly. </p><p>He smirked, “I’ll let you know when I’ve decided to carry it out then I suppose.”</p><p>“Quite,” she agreed, not being able to suppress the rising excitement she felt at the next matter to be handled.</p><p>“So, Rosier, how exactly do you plan to go about this lesson,” Tom asked, possibly having noted the smile that had unconsciously worked it was onto Aurora’s face when she hadn’t been paying attention, “Do I get to have another rifle through your memory of torturing people again in the name of demonstrations?”</p><p>Aurora huffed, “For the love of Merlin it was not torture—“</p><p>“You cut her face open and threatened her—“</p><p>“Do you want help or not?”</p><p>Tom’s mouth, which had been preparing to fire back another retort closed slowly, “Very well, do continue.”</p><p>Aurora narrowed her eyes, but did indeed press on, “Quite the opposite this time, it’s my turn to rifle through your mind. I can only assume you’ve at least practiced some of what I explained last time, with the barriers and pushing certain memories forward, as well as pushing <em> people </em> out?” Tom nodded confidently, as though he thought he was already the best bloody Occlumens in the room, “Perfect. Unlike when you used Legilimency on me, I’ll actually be trying to break down the walls. I want you to try and stop me,” she finished, rising to her feet, the table that had been present between the two of them vanishing, the room having sensed her intent to stand directly before him. </p><p>Tom’s gaze followed her intently as she closed the distance between them, stopping barely a foot away from his knees, his eyebrow raised inquisitively, “And if I can’t build the walls quick enough? You pride yourself on being so accomplished in this strand of magic, after all.”</p><p>She knew it was meant to be a dig at her own confidence, but Aurora couldn’t help but feel a swell of pride in her chest t the rather backhanded compliment he’d bestowed, “Then, I hope for the sake of us both, that there’s nothing too embarrassing hiding below the surface.”</p><p>To his credit, Tom’s expression didn’t falter at anything she could have possibly implicated, although she could almost sense the determination radiating off of him as she reached for her wand. The dark wood glowed in the low light cast by only the fire and few candles around them as she aimed it towards his forehead. </p><p>“Remember, bring something forward to distract from what’s behind it. If I push through, push back. Understand?” Her voice was lower now, aware of exactly what she was about to do. </p><p>She looked straight into Tom’s dark eyes, watching them glimmer, “Completely,” he affirmed. Aurora wondered if he’d still be as confident when she cast the spell. </p><p>“<em> Legilimens </em>.”</p><p>*</p><p>
  <em> Tom’s mind was unlike anything she’d ever seen before. Those who had a grasp on some sort of Occlumency’s often resembled an unorganised office, memories and thoughts scattered around, with the most precious saved in the filing cabinet in the corner. Those with no defences at all were like market stalls, everything on display for her to pick and choose exactly what she wanted. Those with the strongest skills in resistance being like a library and meticulously organised, except full of books that have been charmed to never open.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Tom, however, was not comparable to any of those things. The best description she could conjure was a theatre, everything displayed proudly infant of her eyes, yet with certain things hidden just out of sight in the wings, waiting to make their entrance. She could practically smell the dark magic in his head, able to see it wrapping and coiling around each memory flicking past her eyes. She could feel him adjusting to her intrusion, could feel his magic limply trying to tug her away with little to no success.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> He was yet to present a clear memory to her, only seeing flashes of conversations with the boys or moments of him being praised by a variety of different teachers. He was trying to show shallow thoughts, things that held no real value to him. His first mistake, of course. Surface memories needed some weight to them, some sort of importance, hence why Aurora had used that of the bathroom. It wasn’t her darkest secret, but it wasn’t her painting her nails in her dorm either.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> In the spirit of being a good teacher, Aurora gave him a little nudge, moving closer to the proverbial stage of his mind, trying to take a peek at what the curtains were hiding from her. His magic responded stronger this time, trying to pull her out more forcefully, though still failing to do much at all.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> The memories he was trying to show her were started to be less fragmented, and she was catching full sentences from conversations, able to clearly distinguish between his own voice, or that of Abraxas, Arche and Raoul. They were still all nothing of any consequence, and still not remotely strong enough, she decided to give one more push.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> She’d only meant to push ever so slightly, nothing more than a nudge towards him pushing back harder, but very suddenly, it was as though she had completely torn down the curtains, and then set fire to the theatre for good measure. She’d completely broken through any sort of protection he’d managed to form (with relative ease, she commented herself), and was very quickly surrounded by a flurry of images, unsure of where to look or listen.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Rationally, she should have pulled out of his head then, corrected his methods, and then gone back in, but before she could cease her presence, a memory came into view clearer than anything she’d seen yet, the familiar tendrils of dark magic looking as though they’d quite literally pulled it in front of her eyes, locking her in place </em>
</p><p>-Thomas, what have I told you about keeping the door open during the day - good God boy! Why in Christ’s name is there a bloody beast in here?</p><p>
  <em> She stared at the portly woman who had flung open a splintering door to a small, dull duck egg blue room. She was wearing a similarly coloured dress with a yellowing apron, greying hair spilling out from the poorly pinned hat on her head.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Aurora’s eyes followed hers to the corner of the room, where a small boy was sat cross-legged on the low bed, facing what looked like a grass snake, curled neatly up in front of him. It didn’t take a genius to work out the scruffy, malnourished looking child was a young Tom Riddle, although the circumstance of which, she was incredibly intrigued by. It was all of a sudden very apparent that his rouse of a sponsor was just that, or the sponsor was not a particularly caring sort.  </em>
</p><p>I do apologise, Matron</p><p>
  <em> The young Tom spoke with perfect pronunciation, a stark contrast to the Matron’s thick Liverpudlian accent. His eyes, she noticed, still shone the same way they had done before she’d entered his mind that evening. Clearly, he’s always been one for charming people.  </em>
</p><p>I can assure you that they’re not dangerous. It came in through the window and isn’t venomous. If it’s an issue, I can go and release her in the garden?</p><p>
  <em> The Matron seemed to star down at Tom with a mixture of bewilderment and exasperation.  </em>
</p><p>Yes, I think that’s for the best, and get it out quickly. It’ll scare the other kids, won’t it?</p><p>
  <em> Something flashed across the young Tom’s face at the idea of scaring the other children but quickly disappeared as he smiled up at the old woman, reaching for the small snake that quickly curled itself around his hand and wrist. The Matron’s face turned to one of utter mortification.  </em>
</p><p>Of course, Matron. </p><p>
  <em> Without another word, the small boy stood up, and Aurora could see the way his clothes hung limply from his tiny frame, a far cry from the tall, built boy she had come to know. The matron continued to look down upon him with a face of horror as he shuffled past her, out of the rickety door and into an equally dingy corridor, paint peeling off the walls and the floorboards rotting away at the edges.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Several children lined the similarly decrepit doors along the way, peering at the young Tom with the dear the Matron had suggested the snake would bring. Whilst many scampered back into their rooms, the older children further along sneered down at him, laughing or whispering cruelly to their friends. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> -did you see that little Riddle freak? He has a fucking snake- </em>
</p><p>
  <em> -there’s a reason no one has ever taken interest in him- </em>
</p><p>
  <em> -do us all a favour if he just got kicked out onto the street like Robbie was- </em>
</p><p>
  <em> -maybe if he actually had the capacity to make friends he wouldn’t be stuck with a wild animal- </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Aurora studied each face that Tom passed, all just a sallow and grimy as his own, tatty clothes throw haphazardly at skeletal looking children. She’d picked up on a few of their words, wondering what they exactly meant by no one ever taking an interest in him. She hated to admit it herself, but for all his flaws, Tom was an endlessly interesting person, even if not always for the right reason.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> The memory didn’t take her the whole way through, and she felt the magic surrounding her push forwards, speeding through until Tom was pushing open a great door with a cracked window pane and peeling navy blue paint. She tried to pull out once again, knowing full well that she’d tested him enough. She must’ve been in his mind for at least five minutes now, and that was long enough to know he still needed work, yet when she tried, the magic that had been tugging on her before had wrapped around her, keeping her from leaving.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> She realised very quickly, there was something preventing her from leaving Tom’s mind. She wasn’t given enough time to contemplate why or how when the scene presented to her flooded with light, and the young Tom walked out into an overgrown front lawn.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Wrought iron fencing surrounded it, twisting maliciously towards an equally sinister looking gate. There were larger letters welded to the front, but from her position, Aurora couldn’t quite figure out what they spelt. Instead, her attention returned to the sound of low hissing to her side, watching at the grass snake wrapped around his hand reared up. However, it wasn’t the snake’s hissing at all, Tom’s head was inclined as he looked down to the animal, opening up his hand and lowering it to the floor.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> For a moment, it looked as though the snake was nodding up at him, before detangling itself and disappearing into the tall grass that surrounded them. Tom stood up, dusting his hands off on his trousers, the holes in both knees clearly visible in the muggy light being cast through the thick clouds above what looked like East London.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Aurora remembered one of the few times Gueneviere had allowed her outside of Diagon Alley or Central London when she was younger, needing to collect a dress she was having altered by a seamstress in Hackney. Having grown up surrounded by wealth, the young Aurora had been horrified when they’d apparated into a filthy alleyway. The heavy fog that fell across the scene looked almost identical to that of Tom’s memory.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> The doors behind them were flung open, and three older looking children flooded out, two boys and a girl. The boy in front had his hair shaven closely to his head, wearing a shirt that looked several sizes too big for him and trousers with just as many, if not more, holes than Tom’s. He was storming over in their direction, his face set in a sneer as he strode up to Tom.  </em>
</p><p>Oi, Riddle,</p><p>
  <em> He had a heavy cockney accent, and up close, Aurora could see that he had two teeth missing to the side of his mouth.  </em>
</p><p>Hello, Billy. </p><p>
  <em> Tom’s voice was completely deadpan, even as he stared up at the boy who towered over him. For what looked like a 9-year-old, his ability to remain entirely expressionless seemed to be just as developed as it was now.  </em>
</p><p>‘eard you was caught wiv ano’ver snake in yer room. Tell us, are yous actually try’na end up short of a sheet?</p><p>
  <em> If Aurora hadn’t only been viewing this through Tom’s mind, she was sure she would’ve felt her brow furrow at the older boy. She wasn’t entirely sure what he was talking about, but the young Tom seemed to have no issue understanding.  </em>
</p><p>It’s only a snake, they’re quite harmless to me. </p><p>
  <em> The girl behind him scoffed, her mangy dark hair falling in a knotty mess to her shoulders.  </em>
</p><p>He’s fuckin’ radio rental inni. Told ya that he’s talking in ‘is sleep ’n all, probably tryna’ get Matron ta take pity on ‘im n get ‘im our of ‘ere before the rest o’ us.</p><p>
  <em> That solicited a laugh from both of the boys, creeping closer and closer to Tom, crowding around him as they continued to impose upon him. However, Tom remained entirely unphased. Aurora was once again left entirely confused as to what in Merlin’s name they were talking about. </em>
</p><p>I assure you, Amy, I’m not mental. And the only reason you’re implying as such is because you don’t want to admit that no one wants to take you away from here. </p><p>
  <em> The boy in front, Billy, she’d heard him called, turned bright red, bending down until he was almost nose to nose with Tom.  </em>
</p><p>You listen ‘ere you little toerag. You insult ‘er again, I’ll knock yous flat or your arse, I don’t care how old yous are-</p><p>
  <em> He was suddenly cut off, his hands rising to his throat as he began to gasps. Aurora looked between the two, from Tom’s entirely serene expression to the panic that shrouded Billy’s. All at once, she heard similar grunts of pain from behind, looking up to see both the other boy and Amy with blood pouring out of their noses. </em>
</p><p>On no.</p><p>
  <em> Tom said plainly. </em>
</p><p>It seems as though you are all in need of medical attention. Best you all go and see the Matron now, or she’ll keep you locking in your rooms for withholding medical information. </p><p>
  <em> Billy’s face was turning redder and redder by the second, veins popping out against his forehead. As he continued to grapple at his throat as though there were a rope wrapped around it. Amy’s dress was now saturated in blood, and the last boy had his head tilted back trying to stem the flow to no avail.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> F-fuck…yo-you. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Billy rasped out, but still turned and stumbled back towards the fro. door, having heeded Tom’s warning. The young boy in question continued to look as though nothing had happened, and it was a perfectly normal day. Aurora knew of course that what had happened was entirely his doing, though very aware of the control he’d already exhorted over his magic at such a young age.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Did he even know he was a wizard? The other children looked about as muggle as you could get, as did the establishment they were housed in. The thought pulled Aurora back to one of her initial queries, as to where they actually were. As if on-demand, the memory pulled her into a different position, just beyond the gates where she could still see Tom kicking around the front garden.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Her breath caught in the throat as she scanned the rusting letters in front of him, wondering if anything he’d ever told her about himself was true.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Wool’s Orphanage.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> He was an orphan. And not just that, but he had lived in what was very obviously a very poor, very muggle orphanage in the depths of East London. Once again, however, she was given barely any time to process before she felt the magic around her tugging again pulling more and more images into view, whilst keeping her very much stationary, regardless of how hard she tried to pull away.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> The scene shifted back to Tom’s small room from before, in what Aurora now realised was just one tiny room out of what must have been hundreds. This time, however, the small Tom looks fractionally older and was not alone. A familiar wizard was sat across from him on the bed, his usual robes swapped for a gaudy purple three-piece suit.  </em>
</p><p>I’m not mad. </p><p>
  <em> Tom sounded insistent, his face set hard as he stared at Professor Dumbledore, the man’s eyes just as fucking twinkly as Aurora had always known them. She took solace in knowing that at least young Tom also seemed unphased by the man’s presence.  </em>
</p><p>Hogwarts is not a school for mad people, Tom. It’s a school of magic.</p><p>
  <em> She watched the wonder, the disbelief and finally the doubt wash over the 11-year-old’s face, knowing that his mind was forcing her to watch the moment he’d learnt that he really was a wizard, not just someone who could will suffering to others out of pure spite.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> She supposed that the one may have been rather bittersweet for the young Tom It was no secret that he loved being the best, even if not always the centre of attention. To think that he had to experience a strange man showing up out of the blue to tell him that he really wasn’t as special as he believed himself to be, and there were in fact a whole world of people exactly like him was rather satisfying.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> However, she was barely given any time with this memory before the magic was pulling around her once again, still resisting all of her attempts to release herself from its grasp. She didn’t want to concede to anything that stemmed from only Riddle’s magic, but she began to suspect that there was something else mingling with his magic at work. After all, she was almost certain that none of this would ever be things he’d willingly share with people. Merlin, she doubted that even Abraxas knew about any of this, and he was by far the closest friend or follower Tom had.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> She was suddenly in Diagon Alley, Tom walking alongside Dumbledore as they pushed their way through the bustling crowd, everyone making a point to stop and wave to the renowned Professor, casting their eye over the grubby child he had at his side, despite the obvious efforts he’d made to make himself look even remotely presentable with a shirt that wasn’t quite as discoloured as everything else Aurora had seen him wearing. They turned into a shop, the small bell above the door tinkling as they stepped into Ollivander’s.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Garrick Ollivander stepped out from behind the towering shelves, smiling knowingly down at Tom the same way he did every child who walked into the shop. Aurora had always found the man off-putting, seeming to always know something that his customers didn’t. He ran through a series of wands, none quite working in Tom’s favour but none looking to come as a surprise to the elderly wandmaker. That was, until he pulled one final wand from the shelves, a smile creeping up his face before proudly announcing,  </em>
</p><p>Phoenix Feather, Yew, 13 1/2 inches.</p><p>
  <em> Even in the memory, Aurora could feel the power swirling around Tom, the warmth that seeped into the boy as he held the wand. Ollivander smiled down, clearly satisfied with the reaction, whilst Dumbledore’s face was painted with one of utmost concern. He too could feel the magic rolling off of the small boy, and he was nervous. No child was ever this powerful. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Magic pulled at Aurora again, and they were in the Great Hall. It was the sorting ceremony, and a pool of little First Years were huddled at the very front, the Sorting Hat perched proudly on the chair next to Dumbledore. He called out several names from the list in his hands, each child being sent off to their respective houses. She watched Abraxas be sent to Slytherin after a length of time that would almost be considered treason for a Malfoy’s house deliberation, and she caught sight of herself smiling excitedly next to a tiny Thea, almost shaking with her own energy.  </em>
</p><p>Riddle, Thomas. </p><p>
  <em> Dumbledore’s voice called, and Tom strode forward with confidence similar to what she knew now. He sat on the stool, the Hat hovering not even four inches from his head before declaring him a Slytherin. The hall erupted in whispers, about how this strange child with a surname no one recognised was ent to Slytherin fast that the blood Malfoy heir. It was enough for her to almost miss hearing her own name being called, as the small blonde head bobbed up to the seat, proudly being sent to the Snake’s table the second the Hat touched her head, smiling at her fellow First Years with an air of smug authority. </em>
</p><p><em> What she only noticed now, however, was the way the past version of Tom was looking at her. When he’d sat down, he had been greeted with respectful handshakes given how fast he’d been sorted, a few introductions, but not much else. When Aurora had sat down, Abraxas had fun himself at her, wrapping her in a hug, as had the already sorted Dorea. He looked positively </em> jealous <em> .  </em></p><p>
  <em> She was known, people liked her and were willing to celebrate her welcome into their house. He’d experienced no such thing. The realisation came crashing down on her then and there. This wasn’t Tom’s magic holding her in place at all.  </em>
</p><p>It was the bond. It was both of their magic combined. </p><p>
  <em> She could have slapped herself. How could she have been so stupid? The book had mentioned dream sharing, how the bond decides what the other needs to see, what might be relevant to the two of them, and to their magic. The bond had decided that she needed to know Tom was from a muggle orphanage, that he’d grasped onto his magic exceedingly young, that Dumbledore knew he had always been that way, and that he’d envied the hold she’d had over her peers even as a small 11-year-old. She wasn’t entirely sure why, but the effort their magic had expelled to ensure such a thing made it clear it was important. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> The magic around her buzzed, as though it was humming with agreement at her conclusion, and she felt the hold on her loosen just enough for her to finally push away. Watching the memory fade into nothing, the theatre rebuilt itself around her, the curtains being rehung and slamming shut, and her presence finally leaving Tom’s mind.  </em>
</p><p>*</p><p>Aurora fell back onto the carpeted floor, gasping as she felt the sweat beading along her brow. </p><p>“Rosier, what the fuck did you just do?”</p><p>She looked up at Tom, who was stood towering over her. She’d expected him to be angry once she was finally released, but this was something else. He looked murderous. She pushed herself back up to her feet, not wanting to put any more height between them that could give him any sense of power over her. </p><p>“The bond—“ she began, only to be very quickly cut off.</p><p>“Bullshit,” Tom spat in response, “You’ve been fucking dying to do that, haven’t you?” He demanded, advancing on her, putting barely allowing for distance between the two of them, “You’ve wanted to rummage through my mind for fucking months, I should have known you’d never have agreed to do this fairly.”</p><p>She felt her own anger flare at the suggestion she was doing this out of anything other than staying true to her word, as though she hadn’t let him into her mind weeks previous, “You think I give a shit about you enough to devise an entire fucking shitshow just to get in your head? As though I couldn’t do it any fucking time I please?” Aurora yelled back, very aware of the sofa she was quickly being pushed back against. </p><p>“I think you’re a devising, controlling bitch with a fucking death wish, Rosier.” Tom punctuated his remarks each with a further step until the backs of Aurora’s knees were pressed firmly into the base of the armrest, but she refused to be pushed down any further. She was not prepared to let his intimidation work on her. </p><p>He was scared. She knew he was scared, he’d just had what she assumed was one of his deepest secrets projected directly into her mind, and his hackles had gone up. She may be a bitch, but she knew fear when she saw it. </p><p>Her jaw jutted out as she spoke, “And I think that you’re refusing to believe it was the fucking bond that trapped me in your head because it would mean part of your own magic was responsible.” </p><p>“Trapped? You weren’t fucking trapped,” he sneered, “you knew exactly what you were doing.”</p><p>“I was! It was <em> your </em>magic that was holding me in place. I tried several fucking times to get out.” Aurora could feel her heart pounding against her chest the longer that she remained in such close quarters with Tom, close enough to almost feel his too. </p><p>He chuckled dangerously, “But you know that I can’t possibly let you leave this room now, don’t you.”</p><p>“What are you going to do to me, Riddle? Kill me because I know you’ve been lying all this time, that you aren’t even a Pureblood?” Aurora hadn’t intended to be quite so forward with all that she’d inferred by the scolded hiss Tom produce was confirmation enough. He may have been the Heir of Slytherin, but he was also a half-blood. Still, that wasn’t all she’d picked up on, “Or because you’re the one who’s been harbouring jealousy since the very first days you set eyes on me?”</p><p>If she’d thought that Tom was angry before, it was nothing compared to how he reacted to <em> that </em>. She barely even registered the magic that rolled off of him with enough force to knock her down until he was leering down at her, hands braced on the back of the sofa.</p><p>“You have no idea what you’re playing with, Rosier” his voice was venomous, and Aurora could feel his breath on her cheek. If she were with anyone else, Their positioning would be almost intimate, but this was Tom, and it was just another of his stupid fucking power plays.</p><p>“Oh, but I think I do, Riddle,” she replied, “you see, I’ve just seen what I’m playing with. I always knew you were a hypocrite.”</p><p>She could still feel the magic around them, almost strong enough to taste, but it was so infuriatingly entwined that she couldn’t tell whose was whose. Her anger was sweeping through her whole boy, positive that it was being spurred on by Tom’s proximity to her. </p><p>“Hypocrite?” He laughed in response, although there was not an ounce of amusement present in his tone.</p><p>“Oh, absolutely.” Aurora adjusted herself on the sofa so she was sat more upright, even though it meant her forehead was not even a hair’s breadth from Tom’s, their noses only mere millimetres apart, “Tell me, <em> Thomas </em>, everything you’ve ever said about mudbloods, even the one you killed, you did it all knowing you were almost as bad, didn’t you?” She was walking a very dangerous line, she knew this, but a sudden surge of confidence moved her ability to care by that point. His threats were empty, there was nothing he could do to her.</p><p>It had the intended effect too. </p><p>“Rosier, I swear to Merlin if you do not shut the fuck up—“ he began, a vein in his forehead becoming visible in a way not too dissimilar to when he’d choked poor Billy at the orphanage.</p><p>“Or when you had the absolute gall to insult me, claiming that I craved you enough to be jealous of your little Ravenclaw toy, that all along it was you projecting how you felt about me. About the fact I had the power, the alliances, the friends from the very start.”</p><p>“I don’t need friends, and I built my own fucking alliances-“</p><p>“And then, to top it all off, you had to sit back and watch as your fucking <em> follower </em> pulled me into your little posse, had to watch him fall in love with me, listen to him fuck me in your own dorm room, a constant reminder of all that you’ll never be, never have-“</p><p>Tom was laughing again, deep and rumbling, still close enough that Aurora could feel his body shaking across from her’s, “You are so clueless it’s a joke, Rosier.”</p><p>“So it’s not the power you’re jealous of? Don’t tell me it’s something simpler than that?”</p><p>Tom’s eye’s narrowed, and she could see every fleck of amber that circled his pupil against the contrast of the darkness they hid just beyond.</p><p>“Maybe not something - or someone?” She pressed, enjoying the heat that had begun to fill her whole body, nursing every feeling of anger or resented she’d ever felt towards Tom, pushing it all to the surface. It was intoxicating, to stare him straight in the eye and feel nothing yet everything all at once, all for the sake of tearing the bastard down. </p><p>“What are you implying, Rosier?” Tom’s voice was almost a whisper, a dramatic change from only a few moments previous. Despite the lower volume, she could sense the heightened danger he was posing. Still, she knew he wouldn’t strike her, it would only be debilitating himself to do so. There really was nothing stopping her at that moment. </p><p>“That your accusations of me <em> feelings </em> truly were projections, Thomas,” she said, willing her voice to be as sweet as she could force it, “You wanted me to be jealous of Fawley because, in reality, you craved what Raoul had, you didn’t want to think it was unrequited. And you just couldn’t bear to think there was just one more thing you’d never be able to just charm out of someone.”</p><p>What she did next, Aurora would later try to blame entirely on the magic. She wanted to say that there to have been a rope around her neck that had tugged her forward against her will, that the bond had taken over her body and forced her to do it, but a part of her knew it was completely of her own volition. </p><p>She closed the gap between them, pressing her lips hard against his. It made sense, just then, just another quick way of taunting him, but very quickly her hands had raised and found his hair, tugging sharply, just enough for her to feel the Lestrange signet ring digging into her finger. </p><p>Tom didn’t respond immediately, although the second she’d gripped his hair, he released a sharp breath and reciprocated with a vengeance, mouth sliding over hers, lowering himself down onto the sofa next to her. The air around them was electric, audibly cracking with the energy that swirled around the two frantic figures. </p><p>It was nothing like kidding Raoul, who, despite the desperation he often conveyed, was never anything but gentle, allowing Aurora to do exacting why she wanted when she wanted. Tom was the opposite. Kissing him felt like fighting for dominance, teeth clashing together as she tightened her hold on the back of his head enough that it must have been painful. She’d barely even noticed his own hand come up, holding tightly onto her jaw. </p><p>She bit down sharply on his lower lip, enjoying her low moan that escaped him. Of course the man was a fucking masochist, it shouldn’t have surprised her. In the milliseconds Aurora had allowed herself to think, his tongue had swept across the seam of her mouth, demanding entry. Unfortunately for him, this wasn’t a kiss meant for his enjoyment. </p><p>She pulled back immediately, pushing straight up to her feet. Looking down onto the thoroughly kissed Tom Riddle, she inwardly smirked the obvious teeth marks she’d left along his lip, his perfectly laid her mussed and sticking up at every angle where her hands had sought purchase. </p><p>“That,” she smiled, licking her own lip where his tongue had been seconds ago, “was a taste of exactly what you’ll never be able to own, no matter how big an army you amass, how many people you lie to, how much magic theory you are able to cram into that fucking skull of yours. I don’t give a fuck that we’re bonded, Riddle, I will help you with the Horcrux, or whatever it takes to get me the fuck away from you, but after that? I will never even dignify you with a look again.”</p><p>She didn’t give him any time to respond before stalking around the sofa, feeling the magic that had wrapped so tightly around them shatter with the distance she’d put between them. She knew that Tom was undoubtedly nothing more than a ball of rage personified at that very moment, but that was something she’d let him work through for himself. Instead, she just grabbed the door handle, throwing it open and casting one more look over her shoulder, </p><p>“Just so you know, despite being the Heir of Slytherin, <em> green </em> really doesn’t look good on you. And If you mention this to Raoul? I will do everything in my <em> extensive </em> power to make your life a literal fucking hell for as long as you continue to live. Immortality or not, I <em> will </em> find a way, do not doubt me on that.” She winked and was gone, only just catching the snarl that formed on his face. </p><p>*</p><p>That night, she marched straight down to the Slytherin’s boys dorms. Abraxas and Arche had grown used to her sudden intrusions, but it still didn’t stop the grunt of surprise that she was met with as she stormed in, grabbing Raoul from where he was on the floor tucking his broom care supplied back into his trunk and pushing him back onto his bed. </p><p>She could still taste Tom on her lips even as she kissed Raoul, hoping to every higher power she didn’t look quick as rumpled as Tom had done when she’d left him, although it wasn’t as though she’d given Raoul much time to consider her appearance before she’d stripped them both bare. Of everything she was inadvertently putting Raoul through, this was one thing she willed herself to not feel guilty about. She’d kissed Tom with nothing but malicious intent, and never planned to do as such again. </p><p>She pointedly didn’t cast any silencing charms, deciding to simply apologise to the two other boys in the morning. She wasn’t sure when Tom had returned but judging by the drawn curtains around his bed when she finally left in the early hours of Monday morning, he’d certainly have heard something. </p><p>Good. He should have to listen. Aurora was set on this being his own doing entirely, his own scheming that had backfired on him when she’d finally worked out his master plan. </p><p>Yet despite all her self reassurances, the emptiness she felt when removing her ring before stepping in the shower before bed was heavy. It was suffocating, knowing that despite what she’d insist if anyone were to ever find out, or Merlin forbid Tom were to tell Raoul and disregard her own threats, she’d always know inside that it was her who closed those last centimetres between her and Tom first. </p><p>Merlin, Morgana and Circe, she was fucked. </p><p>
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  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And just like that, we're past 100k words! Wish this was a day for more celebration, but I just wanted to take a moment to say that Helen McCrory passed away today, and I really felt like I wanted to acknowledge what an impact she'd made to me, especially within this Harry Potter Universe. Ever since I first watched Half-Blood Prince when it came out on my birthday all those years ago, I was obsessed with Narcissa. She was truly one of the most wonderful actors, and I know she'll be so very missed. Hope you're all having wonderful days, and as always all comments/kudos are very appreciated! x</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0023"><h2>23. Do As You Please</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tom’s lower lip stung as he watched Aurora’s figure disappear past the threshold of the door, positive that he’d never felt anger the way he currently did. No one, <em> no one </em>, was ever meant to know about the orphanage, about Billy, or Amy, or any of the fucking muggles he’d been dragged up by. </p><p>And yet, there Aurora was, barreling her way through everyone else’s lives without a single fucking care in the world because of course, the world revolved around her and only her, everyone can get fucked. She said she’d still help him with his Horcrux, but at that moment, Tom didn’t care whether she lived or died in the process, he just wanted her gone from his system. </p><p>The bond that he been born out of the contempt they held for each other had led then to that very moment, where she’d shattered every wall he’d ever tried to build to keep his past hidden, ripped apart his mind and thrown it haphazardly back together, using what she found to do nothing but belittle him, and then kiss him to rub salt into the wound. A reminder, she’d called it. Of something he’d never had. The clueless little bitch truly had no concept of how far Tom was willing to go for the things he wanted. </p><p>Of course, he was an orphan, wasn’t he? He was an orphan from one of the poorest boroughs of London, his whole life leading up to his Hogwarts education had been about fighting tooth and nail to get what you wanted, even if that meant foul play. She couldn’t be stupid enough to believe that that was something he was above. </p><p>Yet the thing that had annoyed him most of all, made his blood boil beneath his skin, was the fact that she’d been right. That idiotic, wide-eyed 11-year old Thomas Riddle had been jealous. The little girl who was sorted right after him, but nowhere near as fast, was met with all her equally excited friends, whilst he just got nods and handshakes from a couple of prefects. Why was he not deserving of celebration? He knew was special, he could talk to snakes after all, and that old Professor who’d come to collect him from Wool’s always looks weary around him. He was fucking special, but she got all the attention. </p><p>She’d also been right when she said he craved what Lestrange had. Merlin, he fucking wanted her. He wanted to own her, to control every aspect of her magic, shape her into his own battle angel. Fuck Grindelwald, he’d be nothing compared to Tom in just a few short years. He’d take his spot as the most revered wizard in all of the Wizarding World, and he’d take his witch right along with it. Only he no longer cared about his methods, subtlety was a waste of his time. Lestrange had fulfilled his task, he supposed, having bought Aurora well into their fold, and allowed her to wrap Malfoy and Avery around her finger tighter than that silly little Signet Ring. </p><p>It may have been, though, that Lestrange’s services were no longer needed. Tom could still feel the imprint Aurora’s teeth had left on his mouth as he licked his lower lip, allowing the Room of Requirement to dissipate around him. </p><p>All that was left was a solitary statue. He wasn’t entirely certain what he was asking for when the thought first came into his head, but the room was yet to disappoint. Darkness surrounded him, the only light cast over the marble figure ten feet away. He’d always admired those who were able to make marble look soft, but as he looked upon the perfect recreation of Aurora Rosier, all Tom could feel were the razor edge of her parting words. </p><p>Without another moment’s reflection, he raised his want, casting the most powerful <em> bombarda </em> his body could manage. His wand practically glowed with every ounce of magic he poured through it, watching with utter fulfilment as the statue exploded, heavy shards of marble ricocheting off every concealed wall around him. </p><p>He’d been dead set on keeping her favourable, whilst her threats still rung empty. Now, however, she was too real a risk. She had too much knowledge, too much potential hold over him. If he had to, Tom was more than prepared to destroy her, then rebuild her to fit his desire.  </p><p>*</p><p>The next morning over breakfast, Tom would hardly have known that anything had transpired the night before. Everyone sat down long the Slytherin table together, laughing at a joke Avery had just told or moaning about Merrythought’s essay on advanced Vampire defences.  Even Aurora, who was sat with Lestrange’s arm slung over her shoulder. The real kicker came when she smiled at him, asking him to pass her a breakfast muffin from just beside him. </p><p>She was scheming. She had to be. Not once had Tom ever had a run-in with her that had been resolved or forgotten so quickly, especially no something of that calibre. Fuck, he should still be furious with her. He didn’t have an oath or even her word that she wouldn’t divulge any of what she’d learnt the night before to anyone else, and he doubted she’d promise him as much either. </p><p>He simply had to sit there, meticulously cutting up his toast and drinking his coffee knowing that, for once, she had something over him with no leverage on his end. Yet he wasn’t as angry as he wanted to be. His body simply wouldn’t will the feeling into existence. Merlin knows he’d tried, scowling at her when she’d reached across Selwyn to grab to the sugar pot or laughing just a bit too loud, but there was nothing here to back it up. </p><p>It was too much to hope that she’d reconsidered her words, and privately resolved her feelings of superiority now she was under the impression that him being anything less than Pureblood immediately placed her on a pedestal, but he was willing to think that maybe, just maybe, she would at least try to be civil until they’d finally ended the bond. So, in a very un-Tom-like move, he simply stopped willing the anger to the surface.</p><p>He sat back, allowed himself to chuckle at whatever shite Avery was spewing by that point, pointedly ignore the mixture of nervous and intrigued looks Hornby would throw his way, and marvel at just how comfortable Aurora looked leant against Lestrange. Every now and then, she’d tilt her head slightly to place kisses along his jaw, with the same mouth she’d had on his last night. </p><p>Lestrange would smile, and Tom would wonder what his follower would think if he knew. </p><p>And so it continued this way well through March and well into April. Black, Avery and Malfoy’s birthdays all came and went, each punctuated with late nights in the Common Room, drinking from bottles of Firewhiskey charmed to look like butterbeer. Fortunately, there was no aimlessly standing upon pool tables or life-threatening duels that resulted in dangerous and rare bonds being formed at any of those parties. </p><p>Still, Aurora had continued as though nothing had ever happened. If anything, she was being nicer to him than he could ever recall her being. She was happy to make small talk, even if he only gave her one-word answers, akin to his nightmare of a Valentine’s Day date all those weeks ago. And she was still happily slung under the arm of Lestrange. </p><p>That was a situation Tom had thought long and hard over. He knew he was satisfied with how close Aurora had been pulled in, deviating from his original plan of wanting until she declared herself a loyal Knight, accepting that it would be a ridiculous thing to expect from her. She would never declare it herself, and Tom suspected that not even the Imperious Curse would drive her to do so. Circe knew that the witch could probably resist it easier than summoning a pillow. </p><p>All that was left for him to do was to have Lestrange end the relationship. He’d been apprehensive at first, knowing that there was a possibility she would make an attempt to sever all connections with the Heir, but now, she had woven herself so tightly into her new little group of friends, more than willing to spend hours studying with Avery and Malfoy, he was confident that she’d stay. </p><p>After all, he didn’t have to make it messy. He could, of course, and try to cause as much pain and suffering for both parties, commanding Lestrange to allow her to find another witch in his bed, maybe. Or, he could have him let her down easily, continue the illusion that he truly cared for her, just as he’d done so well for all those months. </p><p>Tom had no doubts that Lestrange truly had come to care for Aurora, but he’d heard his muttered confessions of love and was adamant that it was nothing but blind lust. No, it had to end, it was the only way for Tom to get what he wanted, to move the next chess piece, and land himself one move closer to checkmate. </p><p>The final week of April drew nearer and nearer, as did the anticipation for the end of year exams. Seventh Years were practically pulling their hair out at the sheer volume of revision the teachers had been piling on to them, and Tom was glad to say that wouldn’t be facing anything of quite that degree until the year after. He was still confident that he would beat the N.E.W.T scores of every other student in his year, but the excessive essays still wasted valuable time and felt rather pointless when he was already able to list off most of the information he needed as though it were nothing. </p><p>Still, he was more than surprised to find Malfoy sat at Aurora’s usual library table, quite alone, one Thursday evening. As far as he was aware, everyone else had already gathered in the hall for dinner, and despite often being on the quieter side, Tom had never noticed him skipping a chance to socialise, especially not to sit in the library. </p><p>Tom had only been planning to plough through his next two weeks worth of homework to get it done and gone, but the second Malfoy heard his approach, his head had shot up and he’d slammed the book he’d been so absorbed in shut. It was just another odd pattern of behaviour from the boy, who he’d never known to act in such a way. </p><p>“My Lord,” he greeted quietly from his chair across from Tom, head bowed ever so slightly just in case anyone were to walk into view at that moment. </p><p>Tom nodded his acknowledgement, emptying the contents of his bag out onto the table until he was certain he had everything he needed. Once satisfied, he drew out the chair and pulled a long sheet of parchment in front of him. He didn’t miss how uncomfortable Malfoy looked the whole time, obviously attempting to not shift in his seat the longer Tom remained opposite him in complete silence. </p><p>It was only when he’d begun to dip his quill into the inkpot in the table that he really realised quite how rough the Malfoy heir was really looking. To even suggest the man was anything but conventionally attractive would be an even larger lie than Tom claiming to not be the Heir of Slytherin, but the version of Abraxas Malfoy staring at him through sunken, dark eyes was almost unsettling. </p><p>His platinum hair, so often groomed to perfection, hung limply just above his shoulders, the remnants of the curls Tom knew far too well he spent hours trying to eradicate evident in their neglected state, the top haphazardly fasted away from his face. For a Malfoy, Abraxas appeared to be practically unhinged. </p><p>It was almost unfathomable to Tom what could possibly put the wizard into such a state of disarray until his eyes landed on the book next to him. It was a detailed compendium of wizarding marriage law. It looked as though Malfoy knew he’d seen the title, as his pale cheeks reddened considerably. </p><p>“Would we like to share what exactly we’re researching today, Malfoy?” Tom coaxed, eyebrow raised challengingly as he gently set his quill back down, aware that the homework may need to be done another time. </p><p>“Well,” the blond replied, swallowing deeply, “since I find myself in a marriage contract, I decided to do some further reading, make sure I was up to date to date on the subject matter, you know?”</p><p>Tom stared at him for a few moments, “No, Malfoy,” he replied calmly, “I don’t know. I’m not betrothed.”</p><p>Malfoy let out a breath of both relieved and nervous sounding laughter, “No, I suppose not.” His hand came up to scratch absentmindedly at his nose. </p><p>That caused Tom’s eyes to narrow. He’d known Malfoy for almost six years by that point, and despite his attempts to establish that he truly didn’t have friends, everyone knew that Abraxas Malfoy was the closest thing he’d ever have to bestow such a title upon. That also meant that he had come to know exactly when he was lying and the nose scratch had always been Malfoy’s biggest tell. </p><p>“Are you quite sure that’s all this is about?” He prompted, nodding towards the book.</p><p>Malfoy opened his mouth to respond but quickly snapped it shut.  There was obviously something he was nervous about, but Tom wasn’t sure exactly why he’d feel such a way. Much in the same vein as Malfoy, there was no denying that Selwyn was a beautiful girl from a rather influential family, and it seemed as though they’d been getting on more than well. He’d thought she was a decent shag, hadn’t he?</p><p>“It’s just,” he began, sounding just as apprehensive as he had done before, “I get the impression that Thea’s parents didn’t give her much choice in the matter. I wanted to know if there was any way I could, well, break the contract if she decided that she didn’t want to marry me.” He looked down into his lap, as though he were ashamed to admit it. </p><p>“But you’ve known Selwyn since you were children? Surely you’re friendly enough to know that marriage to her wouldn’t be awful, and vice versa?” Tom reasoned. Where the fuck was this chivalry suddenly coming from? Septimus Malfoy had been nothing but a wonderful host to Tom during his stay at the Manor, but he got the impression during the engagement ball that this was something he was set on. It was to be the union of two powerful wizarding families, and he was certain that any attempt to break said marriage would not go down well. </p><p>Malfoy just shrugged, “And? I’ve known Aurora just as long, if not longer. That doesn’t mean I’d want to marry her either.”</p><p>Tom snorted, “I’m not sure anyone would want to end up married to Rosier.”</p><p>The blond’s gaze turned quizzical at that, “What exactly is going on with you and Aurora? None of us ever know whether you hate or tolerate each other half the time, especially after,” he faltered, “well, you know what I mean.”</p><p>Tom did know exactly what he meant. He’d sworn all three boys who’d witnessed the duel to further secrecy the day they’d returned to school, more than glad that none of them really had any idea of what had transpired that night. They just thought they’d witnessed a manifestation of his and Aurora’s combined magic, which wasn’t a complete lie, but obviously wasn’t the whole truth. </p><p>He sighed irritably in response, “I can’t say I know myself, she seems to be all over the place half the time, I’d say she was suffering from some form of mania personally, but I doubt she’d take too kindly to a formal diagnosis.” </p><p>His answer clearly didn’t satisfy Malfoy, who continued to just stare at Tom, as though doing such would cause the truth to just spill from his mouth. He’d always been secretive, keeping everyone at an arm’s length, but he supposed that maybe trying to be fractionally more truthful to his followers couldn’t hurt. After all, the unbreakable vow of secrecy they’d all taken in fourth year still stood, so it wasn’t like they’d be able to actually share anything he’d said. </p><p>“Fine,’ Tom conceded, “we had a slight altercation a while ago. Things were said that should probably have gone unsaid-“ <em> understatement of the fucking year </em>, “-but she insists on acting as though it never happened. I was less willing to be so forgetful.” He didn’t make any explicit implications, but his hard tone was all that was needed to infer that the things that should have gone unsaid were directed at him specifically. </p><p>“Ah,” was all Malfoy supplied in response. </p><p>“You know that I don’t take too kindly to criticism or unnecessary attitude,” he continued. </p><p>“All too well,” Malfoy nodded in agreement. </p><p>“And am therefore unlikely to, play ball, shall we say, quite so easily,”</p><p>“Very much understandable,”</p><p>“Hence the confusion it must have caused the wider group. I won’t apologise, but at least you have an explanation,” he finished, knowing that Malfoy was unlikely to press any further. After all, this little chat was supposed to be about him and his nefarious wedding scheming, not Tom’s little Aurora problem. </p><p>However, it appeared rather quickly that Malfoy was set in his story regarding just wanted to know whether or not he could break the betrothal contract, should the situation arise. Tom couldn’t say he was entirely convinced, however, he hadn’t witnessed any of the other usual lying tells from the boy, so decided to drop the topic for the day. It wouldn’t do either of them any good to force the subject </p><p>Instead, they fell into silence, both working on whatever they’d needed to do that day. It took almost no time all to get through his homework, have majority overestimated how long each essay he’d been set was. Ten inches was a pathetically short amount of work, considering half these topics Tom knew he’d be able to write twenty with no issue. </p><p>Alas, he found himself packing his things away far earlier than he’d planned. He gave Malfoy one last nod, reminding him of the upcoming knights meeting that Sunday, before turning to make his way back down to the dungeons. </p><p>*</p><p>For a room that had once been a pride and joy of Tom’s, something he felt the school had deemed him special enough to utilise, it was beginning to transform into a reminder of Aurora more so than his Knights meetings. </p><p>Even as the fireplace roared begin the circular table, the familiar faces of his followers all sat in attendance, he couldn’t help but picture the last time he was in here, pulled tightly against Aurora as she had attempted to channel every ounce of her disdain towards him into that fucking kiss. He had to admit, it certainly wasn’t the worst thing he’d ever experienced, and maybe was missing a trick by only fucking people who seemed to want to like him…</p><p>“My Lord, is everything going to plan?” Malfoy’s voice brought him back from his wandering thoughts, leaning intently over the table. </p><p>“Quite,” he replied bluntly, not willing to divulge quite how awry every was actually going. They needed a leader who could do exactly what he set out to do, not someone who would end up caught out by another witch. </p><p>He noticed Cygnus Black sit himself up a little taller, an indication that he had something he wanted to say. Tom had been rather looking forward to seeing what the younger student had done with his assignment, especially given the fact he’s been so vague with his instructions. He’d assumed that with the Black family library at his disposal, he would be a fine candidate for the task. </p><p>“Black, what exactly did you find out regarding school artefacts?”</p><p>The boy’s face lit up with smug satisfaction at his direct address. He’s heard through the grapevine that the two youngest members viewed him as some sort of idol, much to the dismay of one Dorea Black. </p><p>“Well, My Lord,” he began, moving to sit himself up even further, “it seems as though each founder had an object, something that they were famed for owning and are depicted in most portraits. I, for one, know that Slytherin can be seen wearing his in the portrait we have in our Dining Hall at the estate,” he held his head up a little higher at the subtle boast of wealth, but quickly continued when Tom made no sign of being impressed. Why should he be? He was a direct descendent after all, that was impressive enough. </p><p>Black continued, “Salazar had a Locket, Helena had a Cup, Rowena had a Diadem and Godric had a Sword. However, the actual location of these objects are scarcely known,” he finished speaking, suddenly not looking quite as confident. He’d delivered the information, but not the whereabouts. That just wouldn’t do. </p><p>“Scarcely known?” Tom asked tentatively. </p><p>“Yes,” Black swallowed, “The diadem has been lost for centuries, there isn’t a witch or wizard alive who had seen it or even claimed to have seen it. I couldn’t find any documentation regarding where the Cup is, it appears that it was sold not long after Helena died. The Sword is trickier, however.”</p><p>“Meaning?”</p><p>“It’s rumoured to only present itself to a worthy Gryffindor. None of us would ever be able to summon it.”</p><p>Tom sat down, massaging his temple between his fingers, “And the locket?” He hoped for everyone sake’s that there was at least something regarding the whereabouts of what should really belong to him. </p><p>“Now that’s where I have good news, My Lord,” Black confirmed, seeming to perk up slightly. Everyone around the table was in complete silence, staring from Tom to Black and then back again.</p><p>“Go on,” Tom prompted. </p><p>“The locket never left Slytherin’s family. It was last reported to be with the Gaunt descendants.”</p><p>He fought to keep the smirk that was threatening to take over his face under control. Oh, that was <em> excellent </em> news. Theodore Nott looked as though he’s been hit with a bludger.</p><p>“Forgive me, My Lord, but I thought that you were the last living descendent of Slytherin?” The seventh-year asked. Of course, he’d bore witness to the discussion between his father and Tom at the Malfoy Party. Tom had assumed him smart enough to have put two and two together. </p><p>“I am.”</p><p>“But they Gaunts are also descendants. The ones with the mad son and the daughter who died several years ago. They have the locket?”</p><p>“They do.” He was beginning to become impatient with all the verbal confirmation the boy required. Avery was rolling his eyes at the whole affair</p><p>“Which means-“</p><p>“My mother was Merope Gaunt, the daughter who died of Dragon Pox when it wiped out the whole Riddle family in Ireland just weeks after I was born and sent to my benefactor? Yes. Please make an effort to keep up, Nott,” he barked, ignoring the further confusion that seemed to have gathered on his face, “Well done, Black, I am pleased with what you’ve brought for me today.” He nodded towards the younger boy, whose face had once again lit up with grim delight at the praise. </p><p>In all fairness, he hadn’t done the most spectacular job, but Tom knew he had time. And he’d already been planning a small family reunion over the summer as it was, the news of his estranged uncle possibly possessing one of the items he’s decided to locate was simply the cherry on top. </p><p>The remainder of the meeting followed without a hitch, a new set of tasks delegated, news anyone had been able to pry out of parents or family friends reported, and follow-ups on any new leads for followers reported. Tom was comfortable with his progress, and the status of his knights when he dismissed them that night, however, that didn’t stop him once again asking Lestrange’s to stay behind. </p><p>The Blacks and Nott didn’t spare another glance at the order for their follow knight, but Avery and Malfoy exchanged cautious glances before they left. He didn’t know if they’d been made privy to Lestrange’s task, but the obvious hesitation to leave his was enough to suggest they suspected something. Still, it didn’t deter Tom from getting straight to the point as soon as the for to the Room of Requirement was closed behind them. </p><p>“I’m afraid to say that you and Rosier’s time together has come to an end. I no longer have a need for her to be seduced,” he said simply, finally relaxing his posture and reclining into the hard wooden chair. </p><p>Lestrange’s face drained of colour immediately. He swallowed hard, his hands the table having balled tightly, “I’m sorry, My Lord?” He asked quietly. </p><p>Tom smirked, “You heard me. I set you the task of drawing Rosier into our ranks at the start of the year and made it quite clear from the get-go that this would be a temporary arrangement until I was satisfied with her positioning. I now find myself incredibly satisfied with your work, and therefore have decided to bring your task to an end.”</p><p>Lestrange stared at Tom for almost a whole minute in complete silence. He never tried Legilimency, but he was certain he could almost hear the cogs whirring in the other boy’s head and he tried to form a response. Just when he looked as though he was ready to speak, Tom began again. </p><p>“Now, I am aware of the predicament you find yourself in with familial pressure to find yourself a wife, and I’m almost certain that Miss Rosier of all people would not be an appropriate witch for that title-“</p><p>“-well actually”</p><p>“Don’t interrupt me,” Tom snapped, his teeth clenched together, “As I was saying, Aurora Rosier would hardly be right for the role of a Lestrange wife, especially given the attitudes your father so obviously has towards your marriage. I would therefore like to present this situation to you in a different light; this is your opportunity to find a witch who will not only be able to uphold your family’s values without trying to kill your father in the process and a witch who will be fit to supply me with the next generation of Knights.”</p><p>Lestrange’s expression had darkened considerably the longer Tom spoke, his knuckles having turned white from how tightly his hands had fisted, “You want me to break it off with Aurora so that I can find a witch who will willingly enter a bovine marriage for the sake of your political agenda?”</p><p>Tom laughed, low and mocking at Lestrange’s thought process, “This isn’t just politics, my dear follower, this is domination. How can I be certain that my ideologies and plans will be fulfilled long after you and Malfoy and Avery are dead if you don’t provide me with the means to continue my inner circle?”</p><p>The other boy looked about ready to jump straight out of his seat, the palpable anger he was radiating having brought the colour back to his face in full force, “I could still do that with Aurora as my wife,” he bit out. </p><p>“Don’t lie to yourself,” Tom mused, “You have convinced yourself that she will marry you, ignorant of extraneous variables that would come between you. You gave her that ring in the hopes that something would come to fruition when you know deep down it never will. She bats off marriage proposals like they’re fucking fruit flies, and because she let you sleep with her for months on end you think you’re any different in her eyes?”</p><p>“Yes, I do,” Lestrange retorted, sitting up straighter in his chair. </p><p>“Then you are a fool.”</p><p>They lapsed into silence once again, as each of them basked in the thick tension that had surrounded them. Still, this was not something Tom was willing to be lenient about. </p><p>“I’m not here to negotiate with you, Lestrange,” he said quietly, allowing the venom to fall from his words as he spoke, “I want you to break up with Aurora Rosier, painting yourself as the valiant wizard who is going it for her own good. You’ll express your remorse, but the hope that she’ll remain friends with you. If you do anything, and I mean anything that drives her away or gives her any reason to lose your or either of the other boy’s trust, then I swear to every higher power on this earth that I will make the rest of your life a living nightmare.” If Tom was being held under that threat from Aurora, then he certainly would hold someone else to the same consequences. It worked wonders, and Lestrange’s face had morphed into something between horror and burning anger. </p><p>“And what about you?” He challenged, “Why should she have to trust me after all of this? It’s you she’ll have to deal with.”</p><p>“Rosier is smart enough to know that she shouldn’t trust me, and she never will. That much has been made clear by her over the last few months,” he replied coolly, wondering if Lestrange would catch on to his minor teasing about quite how much he’d engaged with Aurora without anyone else present. It seemed though, for the moment, at his implications had gone unnoticed. </p><p>“And when she eventually realises this was all a ploy to get her under your wing? What will you do when she inevitably goes ballistic? The death toll I can see her accumulating in that position is far greater than her just killing off my father over wedding planning,” Lestrange pressed yet again, his tone becoming harsher and harsher. </p><p>“By the time she works anything out, it’ll be too late. I’ll have exerted my control over her to a degree that she’ll find it impossible to act out against me.”</p><p>It was Lestrange who was laughing darkly now, “Then I’m afraid to tell you that you really don’t know her well enough at all.”</p><p>“Actually,” Tom replied, “I think you’ll find I know her far better than you could possibly imagine.”</p><p>It was quite entertaining how easy the usually relaxed Quidditch Captain was to rile up. His face was bright red by that point, as he hastily pushed the chair out from behind him, towering over where Tom sat. </p><p>“What exactly is that meant to mean?” He demanded furiously. </p><p>“I am under no obligations to disclose anything to you, Lestrange, <em> sit down </em>,” Tom warned, although allowed some of his glee towards the situation to be betrayed by his tone. Maybe he’d been wrong, maybe he was able to feel something other than hatred if it meant watching others burn up in front of him. </p><p>“No,” Lestrange fired back, “When it comes to Rory, I want to know that she’s safe.”</p><p>Tom rolled his eyes, “Do you think I spend my time actively trying to kill her? No, your <em> Rory </em> is perfectly safe with me,” he knew he should have stopped there, but he just couldn’t help himself, “With others, however, that is a different story.”</p><p>“What others?” Lestrange echoed, his voice sounding almost as poisonous as Tom’s had. He had to admit when he tried, the other boy held his own well in an argument. Unfortunately, it was an argument he would subsequently lose. </p><p>“Has she not told you?” Tom taunted, slowly standing up himself, “I thought you would have figured it out. There’s always been something special about Aurora Rosier, hasn’t there? She’s always been a beacon of mystery, an enigma no one could crack. Did you ever stop to think about why that was? Did you truly believe she was just a bit secretive, a Pureblood snob who disappeared off every summer and deigned to let anyone in?”</p><p>“She has a right to her privacy-“</p><p>“Yes, because she works for fucking Grindelwald.”</p><p>It left Tom’s mouth before he could even think twice about it. He was unphased, of course, Lestrange was still bound by the vow, and would therefore never explicitly be able to speak of it, not even to Aurora. But the complete and utter disbelief that now painted his face was bordering on comical.</p><p>“You’re lying,”</p><p>“Why should I be?”</p><p>“You hate her,”</p><p>“What if I don’t?”</p><p>Silence engulfed the two boys once again. Standing their ground, refusing to bend under the other’s gaze for the sake of a girl who caused nothing but problems for either, yet had landed herself so ingrained into their lives that they had no choice. </p><p>“It’s all there, right in front of you,” Tom coaxed, “Slipping off to France for weeks on end in the summer, Austria over Christmas, two places most affected by his reign. Didn’t you know that there were issues with Grindelwald’s troops in late December, just around the time she’d glumly decided to stay at Hogwarts for the holidays?” Tom left out the part of his meticulous research into Grindelwald’s activities after finding out the connection, making it sound as though it were something that should have been better known by all, “We all have skeletons in the closet, Lestrange, however, it seems as though Aurora has a whole graveyard.”</p><p>“I-“ Lestrange began, but faltered immediately, “I can see why she may not be the ideal wife. War criminals aren’t the usual Lestrange demographic” he finished weakly. </p><p>Tom let himself smile, cold and wide, “And it would only be doing your father a disservice to allow him to believe you’d be joining Houses Lestrange and Rosier any longer.”</p><p>Lestrange waved his hand dismissively, “I don’t care about my father. I care about Aurora,” he took a deep breath, “If she lied, she had a reason for it.” He could hear the uncertainly in the boy’s voice, as though he were trying to rationalise what he was saying out loud.</p><p>“She had a reason, and yet, I know,” he couldn’t help himself, so he continued to goad. </p><p>“You know a lot of things you shouldn’t,” Lestrange laughed bitterly. </p><p>Tom cocked his eyebrow in surprise, “You aren’t angry, that I know something so intimate, so private about <em> your </em> girlfriend that not even you were aware of?”</p><p>“She was never mine,” Lestrange shrugged, finally looking as though he were leaning towards defeat, having exhausted his means of fighting back to Tom, “and if there’s anything I’ve learnt over the last six years, it’s that even the impossible can be expected of you. No, I’m not angry, I’m not even that hurt,” he laughed shallowly again, “I knew to expect the worst. I guess this is it.”</p><p>“And you’re willing to accept that?” Tom prompted, wondering if he’d be able to get any more of a fight out of his follower. </p><p>“If what you’re saying is true, then I  have no choice. Between you and-“ he swallowed again, “Grindelwald, I’m in a corner. You’ve known from the very beginning that I would do anything for her, in order to keep her safe. If this is what I have to do, then this is what I have to do. I can’t afford to lose her.”</p><p>“How gallant of you, are we sure you shouldn’t be a Gryffindor?” </p><p>“This isn’t bravery, this is an obligation. I agreed to follow you those years ago, and I’m simply acting on that. When do you want this done?” Lestrange sounded entirely worn out at this point, rather pathetic compared to his composure only a few minutes prior. </p><p>“Before the end of the week,” he replied easily. It was a generous amount of time, he’d decided, and offered just enough flexibility that he wasn’t being downright cruel. After all, he knew Lestrange would need to catch Aurora when she was in the right mood to stop everything blowing up in his face completely. </p><p>“Fine. By the end of the week, I will have broken it off with Aurora, but we will remain friends. You’ll finally have her to do as you please. Are we done here?” </p><p>“Indeed,” Tom confirmed nodding once to punctuate. </p><p>“Fantastic,” Lestrange replied, completely lacklustre, “Then I’ll be on my way. My Lord,” he shallowly, almost mockingly, bowed his head, before turning and striding quickly out of the room, not being shy about slamming the door on his way out. </p><p>Tom continued to smile to himself, thinking back on the parting words of Lestrange. Parting words had become such a pivotal moment of every conversation he’s found himself in recently, and he couldn’t help but wonder if there was an irony in that. Of course, he’d planned to never die, hence the decision to create his Horcruxes, so goodbyes always seemed so folly to him. He’d never have any use for them himself, so why try too hard to get in the last word? </p><p>And yet everyone else fought tooth and nail to get that last say in, throw the last veiled insult or dirty look before they left, knowing that it could end for them at any given time. Lestrange had been no different. </p><p>
  <em> You’ll finally have her to do as you please.  </em>
</p><p>Oh, Merlin, yes he would.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>thank you for your patience with me at the moment - psych exams are really kicking my arse at the moment, and writing has been difficult, but I hope you're enjoying it thus far! :) x</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0024"><h2>24. Surprises</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>There had been something off with Raoul since Monday morning. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora had sensed it immediately. He’d held her in a hug for slightly too long when greeting her at breakfast, pressed his lips firmer against her forehead as though he were trying to memorise the feeling, and every smile he gave her seemed to be tinged with sadness. She assumed it was something to do with the rapid influx of letters he was receiving from his father, and couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was yet to make a move to bring it up with her, but she respected that. Every moment with him had become more and more frantic with every passing week, as though they both felt themselves reaching an unknown deadline. Of course, Aurora did have a deadline, but she’d be damned if she let the one slip. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>So instead, she left him to do what he obviously needed, allowed him to spend every waking moment he wasn’t in class or trying to train his Quidditch team into a state of physical exhaustion to the point that they could barely move for days after with her. Granted, most of that time was now spent quietly revising, but she enjoyed Raoul’s silence more than anyone else’s.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But for the first time in a long time, Aurora had allowed herself to feel some genuine excitement. Her seventeenth birthday was fast approaching, May 2nd only a few days away. She’d always hated being one of the youngest in her school year, having to watch everyone celebrate their birthdays before her, get to play with the ‘older children’s toys’ or receive the gifts Purebloods had come to associate with the different ages. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>However, the anticipation for all of those paled in comparison against the excitement for seventeen. She’d be of age and considered a fully legal witch. No more having to hide away in unplottable rooms or houses to practice her magic and no more waiting until she reached Austria to be just out of reach of the Ministry’s trace. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They’d been receiving apparation lessons from the Department of Magical Transport since early January, and Aurora had been incredibly smug over being pronounced as one of the fast learners the old bat they’d sent to assess them had ever seen. The moment had been somewhat soured by the fact she’d had to share the praise with Tom Riddle, but recognition for talent was recognition nonetheless. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Still, she’d been given the opportunity to the test alongside those with March birthdays, and passed with flying colours. It had been almost two months, and he was practically itching to actually put the magic to some sort of use since it was wasted in the castle. As was most of her magical ability, but that would soon be changed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom hadn’t spoken to her properly since the Room of Requirement, and she had truly no idea when he was aiming to execute his Horcrux plan. For something he’d obviously been almost vibrating with anticipation over the last time they’d discussed it, he didn’t seem all too keen to actually follow through. Unless she’d just rather put him off with a few of her flippant insults. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Had he really expected her to learn that he was nothing more than a half-blood and not comment on it? It would be downright wrong for her to have not said something, especially given the circumstances. It was his fault for not expecting it, really.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The only form of contact they’d shared was the feeling of the occasional random bump or stubbed toe in the morning, but even they were becoming more and more infrequent. It was too much to hope that it was down to the bond deciding to break itself off, knowing full well that the two of them were simply more aware than ever of what was going on with their magic, and both equally unwilling to meddle with it too much. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>So the week went on as normal as ever, classes passing like they did every day, breakfast, lunch and dinner as routine as always, nothing out of the ordinary despite Raoul’s very sudden need for constant affection. It was nothing she would begrudge him, and certainly not anything that would dampen her spirits for the weekend. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>No. After everything that had happened, everything that she knew would happen, Aurora was going to have one completely perfect day, one she had been waiting for since she’d had the law of underage magic explained to her, and nothing (or nobody) was going to ruin it for her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>*</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Happy Birthday, Rory,”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The sound of Raoul’s voice rasped quietly in her ear, shaking her from her sleep. Aurora was once again wrapped in his arms, surrounded by the heavy emerald sheets of his bed. She smiled over her shoulder, allowing her eyes to adjust to the green-tinged morning light cast through the curtains around them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He smiled back down, pulling her tighter against him and kissing her hair. His chest was warm against her back, and she sighed into his hold, basking in the illusion of a safety blanket he provided her with. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good morning to you too,” she whispered back, her own voice just as raspy and thick with sleep as his had been. She shifted her position until they were face to face, her nose brushing against his as she ran her hands over the sides of his torso, coming to rest over the lithe muscles of his back, “can’t say I could think of a better way to wake up,”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is that so?” He replied with a smirk, before dipping his head just enough to catch her lips. She was barely given any time to savour the moment, however, when the curtains behind her were flung open, and she very quickly developed a newfound appreciation for the coverage that duvets provided. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Happy Birthday, ‘Rora!” Arche and Abraxas announced in unison, a rather pathetic confetti cannon going off from the end of Arche’s wand. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Huh,” he said, staring down at the abysmal display of silver and green tissue paper that littered the flood, “that was meant to be far more dramatic than that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora just raised her eyebrow, looking between both boys, then down at the sheets she had clutch tightly against her chest, then to a very confused looking Raoul, who was massaging his eyes with the heel of his hand. Arche seemed entirely unphased by the obviously compromising position that they’d interrupted, whereas Abraxas was quickly turning an impressive shade of Gryffindor red. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I appreciate that this may have not been our most well thought out plan,” he said decisively. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” she agreed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll just be closing this now,” he continued, reaching for the curtain, and slowly drawing it closed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you,” she finished, allowing her face to form a smile at the very sudden sound of Abraxas loudly reprimanding Arche’s abilities to plan surprises.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“-you fucking idiot-“</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“-what? I didn’t know they’d be shagging-“</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“-I told you they’d do as much, and once again you didn’t fucking listen to me-“</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“-Merlin’s tits, someone gets a bit cranky in the morning-“</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“-Arche shut the fuck up.“</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>She tried and failed to hold back her laugher, feeling the rumble of Raoul’s own amusement from behind her as he too failed to restrain his reaction. His hand snaked back around her waist, pulling her in once again to the warmth of his body. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, you can’t say those two don’t try for you,” he mused, running his fingers through the ends of her hair. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora snorted, “How Abraxas is almost top of the class I will never know,” she replied fondly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s book smart, there isn’t an ounce of common sense shared between those two,”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She stifled her giggle, burying her head into his chest. Feeling his whole body relax at her touch made her wonder just what was running through his head, and what had been running through his head for the past week. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I love you, Rory,” he said quietly, barely audible to even her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I-“ she began, but found herself choked on the words. It had been five months since he had first said it, and she was still too much of a coward to repeat them in turn. The guilt she felt not being able to admit it almost outweighed the actual love she held for him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora felt him smile, could picture it so clearly in her head, “I know,” he soothed, “you don’t need to tell me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But I want to,” she protested weakly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But I’m telling you you don’t need to,” he replied, voice stronger than it had been before, but still quiet enough that neither Abraxas nor Arche, who were still bickering just outside the curtains, would be able to hear, “It’s your birthday, we don’t need to be worrying about such things anyway.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She wasn’t sure if she wanted to scream, laugh or cry. It was something that she’d had herself wrapped up in knots over for so long, and yet he was so nonchalant about it. Why was he so fucking wonderful, always willing to let her do what she needed to do when she needed it? Why couldn’t he just be rude to her for once? She was far better at dealing with that than genuine kindness.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It felt like they’d been wrapped up in each other for forever and yet not long enough when he finally pulled his arm back from around her, announcing that he wanted her to have her gift before they went down to see anyone. She obliged, of course, pushing herself up to sit against the headboard as he poked his head back out the curtain to retrieve something from his trunk under the bed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once again, she could barely muffle her laughter and the sound of Arche’s voice from the other side,</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, would you look at that! Has Prince Charming been kicked out by the Princess?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fuck off, Avery,”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You lot really aren’t morning people, are you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Raoul retreated back into the darkened space, a small smile still playing on his lips, “You know you do nothing but encourage him, right?” He asked, although the humour was evident in his tone. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora shrugged lightly, “He’s harmless, and a damn sight less annoying than waking up to Olive crying because she accidentally glamoured her hair blue again.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You, witch,” he smirked, settling next to her against the dark wood headboard, “are positively cruel.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She knew it was a joke, but Aurora couldn’t help the flinch at his wording. She was a mean, and an utter bitch half the time, but cruel was something she’d only ever been referred to as by Gellert’s men, who’d watched her at work with prisoners. It was stupid to even consider that Raoul had any intention behind his words, yet she still deigned to hear them from him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’d obviously noticed, as his expression softened immeasurably, “Hey, I didn’t say I minded,” he softly teased, bumping his shoulder against hers. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know,” she smiled down at her hands, clasped in her lap with his ring glinting, even in the low light that shrouded them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, if I know the boys, Avery is planning his next confetti cannon as we speak. I’d rather you opened this before he makes a mistake with the charm and turns the dorm into a swimming pool or something.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He handed her a relatively large but shallow box, wrapped neatly in black paper with gold ribbon. It was done beautifully, and Aurora found the mental image of Raoul doing such a thing far more entertaining than she probably should. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Still, she carefully unwrapped it, not wanting to tear the thick, undoubtedly extortionately expensive paper. However, when she opened the box, it was all Aurora could do to not burst into tears. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A pile of yards of water-like black silk with what looked like gold leaf woven through the fabric was folded neatly into the tissue paper surrounding it. But that wasn’t what had caught her eye, It was the dozens of gold embroidered roses that adorned the shoulders and collar of the most beautiful set of robes she’d ever set her eyes upon. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I thought that gold Lestrange crows would be a bit gaudy, so the Rosier roses were a perfect choice. The family tailor was practically salivating when I asked her to make this for you,” Raoul said from beside her, smiling at the look of utter amazement on her face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You designed it?” She asked slowly, running her fingers over the soft silk, watching the way the light caught of each speck of gold as it moved under her hand. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I did,” he nodded, “Father wanted me to give you more jewellery from the Lestrange vault, preferably an engagement ring,” she didn’t miss the strangled way in which he said it, “but I know you’d get more wear out of something like this than a dusty diamond from one of my grandmothers.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora felt tears well behind her eyes, not quite sure why a set of robes conjured so much emotion for her, “They’re beautiful, thank you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He just smiled again, benevolent yet still sad, “Lestrange colours, Rosier symbol. And so very over the top, I thought it was just right for you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Raoul, I-“ she began, but he stopped her, pressing his lips against hers. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve told you already. I don’t need to hear it, I can feel it perfectly well.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The tears fell. And they continued to fall until she was completely spent. Raoul just held her, not needing an explanation, never asking for one. Merlin knew what he must have thought she was so emotional over, maybe just assumed it was her womanly nature finally surfacing, but at that moment, she allowed every ounce of sorrow and grief she felt for what she knew they’d never have flow out of her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was so perfect, so wonderful, and those were two things Aurora could never offer him in return. So much for the uninterrupted birthday. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>*</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As suspected, Aurora received the bare minimum from her Gueneviere. An owl arrived at breakfast, a small tawny unlike any from the Rosier family owlery, bearing a tiny box that looked as though it were being reused. Inside, sat a small, understated gold watch with little ornament to it. The note accompanying the gift also left much to be desired, a brief </span>
  <em>
    <span>Happy Birthday, from Mother</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and that was it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It wasn’t that she wasn’t grateful, she just recognised the watch from the family vaults. She also recognised that it was the simplest thing the family owned, and likely done on purpose. Anyone would think Aurora was a bastard the way her mother treated her sometimes if it wasn’t for the very heavy Rosier genes she carried in her face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fortunately, she had a wonderful group of friends who made present exchanges over the extravagant castle breakfast far more enjoyable. She’d guessed that Tom would likely be absent and therefore was entirely unsurprised when there ended up being only seven of them at the table, not eight.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arche had gifted her a gorgeous arrangement of white roses that he had charmed to never wilt and to always smell like the rose garden at his manor. She’d smiled as she inhaled the sweet scent, noting that it wasn’t too far off the Rosier’s French Gardens either. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Malfoys had all pitched in on her gift, although Aurora suspected the actual choosing of the gift had been done by Aurelia. It was another set of robes, although unlike Raoul’s, were heavy velvet in dark emerald green with black Chantilly lace adorning the neckline and wide sleeves. There was also a small book tucked into the pocket, but she decided to investigate when alone. If it was something the Malfoy’s felt was for public consumption, it would have been presented atop the robes, the hidden aspect told her that it was for her eyes only. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Thea, as she did every year, had managed to find a photo of Aurora from the engagement ball, stood arm in arm with Raoul, grinning like a woman possessed. She couldn’t quite place when or where it’d occurred that night, but she knew Thea had a knack for getting hold of images like that. It would sit on her bedside table, along with the five other photographs she’d been gifted since they started Hogwarts. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finally, Dorea and Olive had gone halves on a hairpin, silver set with small crystals in the formation of Taurus. She’d thanked everyone with vigour, still not quite certain that she wouldn’t burst into tears at any moment. The morning had left her emotionally spent yet on edge, and really didn’t want to risk breaking down right in the middle of the Great Hall. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Despite the chill that still hung in the air around the grounds, the sun shone down onto the clearing by the bank of the Black Lake once again, just warm enough for everyone to waste most of the day curled up under blankets with Firewhiskey infused hot chocolate. Arche had conjured several small balls of blue light that swarmed around the air above their heads like fireflies, whilst Raoul threw pieces of stolen cookies into the lake for the squid. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was laughing at a particularly snarky comment Dorea had made about her older sister when what sounded like banshee wailing travelled down towards them through the trees. She wanted to roll her eyes, remembering the time they’d had to watch the Seventh Year Gryffindors barrel down the same way. Although they were significantly less annoying than what she now saw. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Still Gryffindors, but the sixth-year girls this time, trailing alongside Erin Morsia in the same way the boys had followed Charlus Potter. They abruptly came to a halt at the sight of the Slytherins. Morsia huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is the Gryffindor’s part of the bank,” she announced, sticking her nose up in the air as she stared down at Thea and Dorea. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, hello Morsia,” Aurora chimed sweetly, sticking her head up from where she’d been tucked into Raoul’s side, just out of sight, “I wasn’t aware that you could claim parts of the Hogwarts grounds.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She saw a flicker of fear pass over the girl’s face, something that had happened every time they’d so much as brushed past each other in the corridors since that fateful day in Fourth Year. She knew that Morsia couldn’t remember the events exactly, but that it had still left a lasting impression on her, that she still felt a surge of anxiety anytime Aurora was near. Still, she was too much of a fucking Gryffindor to show as much, so she crossed her arms with more vigour and tilted her head up even higher. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Rosier,” she drawled, “May I suggest you take your little nest of snakes back to your dingy little dungeon?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oh, Merlin, this would be fun. She heard Thea audibly groan from just beside her, and a small cackle from Arche. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You can suggest it, however, I will promptly disregard the suggestion and instead give you somewhere else to put it,” she replied simply, and Arche promptly burst into laughter. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Morsia’s face was beginning to redden, almost matching the lining of her robes, “God, you think you’re so fucking clever don’t you, with your little band of followers,” Raoul stiffened and Abraxas cleared his throat, “parading around here like you own the fucking halls.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I do, yes,” Aurora said bluntly. Was this much not obvious already? Did she need to further stake her claim as the Princess of the castle?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Morsia laughed, shrill and even more annoying than Olive on a bad day, “Sat there like the royalty you claim to be, with your puppy of a boyfriend. I bet this lot,” she gestured towards the boys, “would even touch you if you didn’t scare them into submission.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora’s expression was nothing but utter confusion. For such a brave Gryffindor, it was rather obvious that Erin Morsia didn’t have two brain cells to rub together. She really couldn’t be bothered with trying to figure out exactly what the point of the disjointed insults that were being thrown her way were. Was she truly that offended over a clearing of trees by a lake?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Morsia, is it the muggle genes that make you quite so fucking stupid, or can you simply not string a cohesive offence together?” She sighed, sounding bored. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>All six other Slytherins drew in a collective breath. Aurora had brought blood into the argument, which meant they knew she would not be backing down. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh no,” Morsia mocked, “are we going to have another go about how precious your blood is?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We could,” she shrugged, “or we could have a go about how filthy yours is.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Two of the girls next to Erin froze entirely. Aurora grinned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, don’t tell me you brought a couple of Mudbloods down here for me to play with. It really must be my birthday.” She felt Raoul’s arm tighten around her, but even he wouldn’t knock her off track now. There were four Gryffindors and seven Slytherins, two of which were well practised at tidying up after her, even if Thea was still reluctant to do so. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You aren’t better than us, Rosier,” Morsia hissed. Did this girl truly never learn? Ok, maybe the fact she’d been obliviated the last time should be considered, but regardless, it should have been quite plain that trying to fight Aurora would end badly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I fucking am,” she retorted confidently, “as is Thea, Dorea, Raoul, Abraxas, Arche and Olive. Every single one of us are better than you are your dirty little friends over there.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alice is a Pureblood!” Morsia waved towards the girl right behind her, “She’s a Weasley!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora snorted, having taken no notice of the flame-red haired witch until then, “Arguably the worst of all, little blood traitor.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She didn’t miss the way Dorea’s expression darkened considerably at that, knowing full well that her not-so-secret fling fell into the same category. She would reconcile that later, assure her that whilst Charlus was technically a blood traitor too, he was rich. Swings and roundabouts, really.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That was the only push Morsia needed to draw her wand. Her friends had stepped back, looking like a group of rabbits trying to evade a hunter. So much for Gryffindor courage, but Aurora supposed maybe it was the recklessness fuelling Morsia on. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was met with four wands drawn in retaliation, Aurora’s, Raoul’s, Abraxas’ and Arche’s. She was acutely aware that they’d never actually witnessed her at work before and therefore were less aware of quite how well she could handle the situation by herself, but the support was appreciated nonetheless. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It seems that you’re outnumbered, Morsia,” she hummed in a sing-song tone, “I really would recommend scurrying back up to your little tower before I permanently charm your tongue out of your mouth.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Morsia’s eye’s narrowed, although her wand hand trembling gave away the fear she so clearly felt, “You would be expelled within seconds.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arche gave a huff of dismissive laughter, “Fucking likely,” he smirked, obviously enjoying the show. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Gryffindor’s eyes turned straight to him, looking entirely unimpressed, “Sorry, I wasn’t aware that Rosier had acquired another male snake to tend to her every wish. Are you here to do her dirty work for her now? Is she so above facing any of us at this point?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arche’s eyebrows raised, “Love, I think you’d be surprised at just how much our Princess here does </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> need any of us to send your little lion arse crawling back up to the castle,” Merlin, he was an excellent accomplice. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Morsia paled considerably, undoubtedly having realised quite how stupid she’d been to even attempt to go up against seven other witches and wizards when her own little posse were about as useful as using oil to put out a fire. Aurora watched her hand twitch for several seconds before finally lowering, and allowed her face to crack into a wide smile at the sign of defeat. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fine,” Morsia huffed, the sound of her wounded pride permeating her bitter tone, “keep your fucking clearing, but I promise you this, Rosier.” She turned, staring Aurora’s directly in the eye, “One day, I will get you back for every single thing you’ve ever said about mine or my friend’s blood status. Am I clear?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How chivalrous,” Aurora drawled in response, “I cannot express my excitement for the very same day when I reduce you to a pile of ash.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fuck you, Rosier,”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Feeling is mutual, Half-Breed.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Erin Morsia threw one more venomous look over the whole group before turning, grabbing one of the mudbloods by the arm, and storming back up the castle in a blur of black and red robes. The group by the lake were silent, aside from slowly ascending clapping from Arche. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well,” he announced, producing a basket of sandwiches and more butterbeer from beneath a blanket, “I’ve always been a fan of lunch and a show, who else is hungry?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora laughed, reaching over to take one of the thick ploughmen’s from the selection, pointedly ignoring the exasperated sighs from Dorea and Thea. It was her birthday after all, and she was having fun. They could hold their tongues on judgement for another day. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Much the same as always, Olive was entirely oblivious to the sudden tension between the other girls and helped herself to a turkey sandwich. The boys all seemed pretty much unphased, but she supposed that they were used to trailing after Tom, and she had no doubt they’d witnessed much worse than taunting with a few low blows regarding blood status. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She didn’t want anyone to linger on the subject of any threats that had been made, so swiftly moved the conversation on to a more universally accepted topic: Quidditch. Raoul was more than happy to detail every single step he’d put in black to ensure a win at their next match against Ravenclaw having utterly obliterated Hufflepuff a couple of weeks prior. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arche was still keen to get permission to cause a series of accidents involving the other team’s players and was yet again vehemently denied by Raoul. The girls were more than happy to laugh over which players they didn’t mind sitting out in the cold for, and Abraxas was enjoying his very in-depth conversation regarding the quality of the latest release of Cleansweeps. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The afternoon flew by, and before anyone could even really register what time it was, the sun was already beginning to set, casting a golden glow over the bank of the lake. Several warming charms had been cast, aided by the slight buzz of the firewhiskey they’d consumed. At some point, Thea had worked her way over to where Abraxas was sitting and was huddled under a blanket with him, leaning into him a similar way Aurora sat with Raoul. Granted, they both looked somewhat uncomfortable, but it was nice to see them getting along. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arche had, unsurprisingly, surreptitiously scooted over to Aurora and Raoul, sandwiching her in between the two boys, noting how important it was that the Princess be kept as warm as possible to ensure no illness befell her, lest the kingdom come crumbling down. She’d just laughed and punched his arm, but still relaxed into him, knowing he was entirely harmless. If Raoul had had an issue with it, she’d have been more than happy to stop, but if anything it lightened up his smile. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Merlin, that smile. Over the course of the day, she’d watched the sadness behind his eye ebb away, and realised just how much she’d missed seeing his face painted with genuine happiness over the last week. She wanted to help him but wasn’t sure how, and still didn’t want to pry. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>So she resigned to the fact that he seemed better now, surrounded by his friends as they wasted what was left of the diminishing sun enjoying each other’s company. Maybe the morning had been somewhat fraught with emotion, and Erin Morsia’s interlude had brought some well-needed entertainment, but as far as Aurora was aware, the day had been as close to perfect as she could have e hoped. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dorea and Olive were the first two to leave. The group were now bathed in soft moonlight, reclined back staring up at the stars, naming any constellation they could find. Dorea had laughed, announcing that there were enough constellations her family had ruined to enjoy such a task and said that she needed to be up early in the morning. She didn’t say what for, but Aurora knew that there was a certain Gryffindor Quidditch Captain with the field brooked for practice on alternative Sunday mornings. Her conclusion was inferential. Unsurprising, Olive trailed after her, with no excuse other than being cold. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abraxas and Thea went next, standing up slightly awkwardly, hands joined together and not saying much before picking up their blankets and waving their goodbyes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t forget the contraception charm, kids,” Arche teased, although Aurora could swear that his tone was a fraction less jovial than usual. He must have just been tired, it’d been a long day after all, and he’d woken up early that morning for her failed surprise.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Abraxas laughed nervously, and Thea flushed bright pink, chewing her bottom lip when she laced their hands tighter together and turned to walk away from them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah, young, pre-arranged, dowry induced, semi-forced love,” the sandy blond boy lamented from next to her. She didn’t say anything, just observed his trained features. Of course, she should have realised that Arche would have had an opinion on the situation. After all, he was a second son and under no duress from his family to find a wife immediately, despite that being the case for all his friends around him. Arranged marriages may have been horrifically patriarchal, in Aurora’s opinion, but they did filter out the middle ground of actually having to find a partner. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And a partner Arche did not have. Although she thought it suited him, the comparably relaxed attitude he had to live, not willing to stay seated for longer than an hour at a time yet willing to lock himself away with his charms for as long as he needed. Yet there was something there behind all the jokes that Aurora couldn’t place, and it annoyed her more than she thought it should. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Unsurprisingly, he left not long after that, without the explanations that anyone else had provided, trudging back up the hill, leaving Raoul and Aurora alone once again. He wasted no time in getting to the point once their final friend was out of earshot. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Rory, you know much much I love you, don’t you?” He asked, his voice sounding strained. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I do, yes,”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And you know that I’d do anything I could in order to keep you safe?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora stared at him, having a feeling she knew exactly where the conversation was heading. Raoul didn’t cry, as a general rule that none of the Pureblood sons ever did, but at that moment, she could have sworn his eyes were glinting just a touch more than would ever be considered an appropriate display of emotion. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I do,” she repeated, realising how breathless she’d suddenly become. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then you know why I have to break up with you,” he finished. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>There it was. For months, she’d been preparing for this, half expecting that she’d have to be the one to do it in the end. Maybe that was why her only reaction was to smile at him and take his larger hand in between hers, humming her agreement. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’s said he was keeping her safe, yet she knew that he was the one who’d been in the real danger, courting her. The cool metal of the necklace felt heavy against her chest. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know,” she said thoughtfully, running her fingers over his knuckles with one hand, and feeling his callous palm with the other, “I knew we’d never be able to last. This.” She motioned between them, “Was always going to be too good to be true.” She knew she was justifying it to herself yet again, only saying it out loud held more gravity. It was confirmation that it was what was going to happen. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He laughed, although it sounded somewhat resentful, “When you live with Lord Lestrange for long enough, you very quickly learn to never expect good things. When you came into my life, I was terrified of what would happen. Not just to you, but to me. You’re too good to be true, Aurora Rosier, and I need you.” He looked her straight in the eye, gaze so piercing she felt locked into place beside him, “And if I can’t have you as my wife, then I just need to know that you’ll never leave me. It’s the only thing I’ll ever ask of you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She’d prepared for the beak up, for the knowledge that she’d sold the rest of her life away long ago and that Raoul was simply putting off the inevitable. What she hadn’t expected was the emotion that Raoul would put behind the speech he’d just composed, and very sudden tears of her own were threatening to spill over for the second time that day. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I swear to you, Raoul Lestrange,” she said, knowing full well she wasn’t sure she’d be able to keep the promise forming in her mouth “that I will always be here. Whenever you need me, wherever you need me. I’ll be right there for you. Merlin, I’ll walk you down the fucking aisle at your wedding if you asked me to.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Men don’t walk down the aisle,” he replied, the hint of humour always so evident in his voice returning. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I do what I want.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My father would likely have a heart attack then and there.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t tell me that you’re complaining about free entertainment.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They both lapsed into laughter, grateful for the break in the subject matter. Aurora knew she was lucky to have him, even if now that meant as only a friend. As they slowly both came back down, Raoul’s arm tightened around her again, and she heard him take a deeper inhale than usual, so she braced for whatever he was preparing to say next. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Look, I know I said that being here is all I would ask, but I do have one question I want you to answer for me,” he began, sounding nervous, “I-“ he faltered, looking as though he couldn’t get the words he was trying to say out. A wave of confusion washed over Aurora before she remembered. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was under an Unbreakable Vow with Tom. A vow that, if performed a certain way, could prevent people from even speaking of it. Was he physically incapable of asking her what he wanted to?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s ok,” she reassured him, feeling sudden unease, “take your time.” She wasn’t quite sure what else to say to comfort someone in that situation, given that she’d never been in it herself, nor was empathy one of her strong suits. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He took another deep breath, then finally, “Does he hurt you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora froze completely, “What?” She asked, “Who?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can’t say his name, it won’t let me,” he growled frustratedly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her heart began to race, not sure how to answer. She immediately assumed he was referring to Tom. There was no way on earth that he could have figured out anything about Gellert, she was far too precious about anything to do with him and always made sure to cover her tracks where he was concerned. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Raoul, no one can hurt me. Not even him, regardless of how powerful he thinks he is,” she said, squeezing his hand in reassurance, although it didn’t seem enough. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, no this is different. He isn’t just any wizard. He’s dangerous, and I can’t live knowing that you’re in danger,” he pushed on.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Morgana’s tits, what bullshit was Tom feeding his followers about his power? sure, he was a good spell, had no qualms over murder and was the Heir of Slytherin, but still, he was only a seventeen year old, not an evil overlord. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She sighed, “I don’t know how to explain this to you, Raoul. I will always be in danger, nothing, not even you, can stop it. But him? He can be dealt with, and has been dealt with for the last few years.” She hated the look Raoul was giving her, as though she were a complete idiot for brushing off Tom so easily. Had he completely brainwashed them?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But your arms,” Raoul blurted, and Aurora’s blood ran cold. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Excuse me?” She asked quietly, unsure whether to remove her hands from his or not. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know you glamour them. New Year’s Eve, I carried you back to your room, I don’t know if you remember?” She shook her head, not really being able to remember anything from that night, “When I put you into bed, the spell wore off. I didn’t want to push you to tell me anything, so I reapplied a glamour and never said anything.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora stared at him, at a complete loss for words. Only three other people had ever seen the scars that littered her arms, and one of them was dead. The relationship between those two things was not correlational, but important enough to the fact. She swallowed deeply, knowing that he still believed it was Tom who was hurting her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” she said slowly, “He didn’t do them.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was plain in his eyes that he wanted to know why they were there, how they’d happened, but she knew she wasn’t ready for that story. For all she knew, she may never be ready for that story. Yes, she had always been proud to bear each mark for herself, but that didn’t make the acquisition of them any less painful. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora thought he’d continue to ask, but instead, he remained silent, his eyes being drawn back to the lake, watching the way the moonlight danced across the undisturbed surface. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We had a good run, you know,” he said after a while, “I will always be glad you were mine, even if it was only for a matter of months.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She smiled faintly as a tail popped out of the water, just off the shore, sending small waves up to the bank, “And I’ll be grateful that I was able to give you that.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Without saying anything else, she slowly eased his arm away from her shoulders, standing up and brushing down her dress, “It’s getting late, are you coming?” She asked, nodding towards the Castle. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Raoul took a moment to respond, “No, I think I need a bit of time to myself, but I’ll see you in the morning,” he replied thoughtfully. She understood where he was coming from, given that she too planned to go and lay in a heavily warded bed for several hours, only she would be occluding herself into nothingness again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>So, she began the walk back towards the courtyard. She’d only taken a few steps or so when she turned back around to him face suddenly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh! Your ring-“ she started, reaching to remove it from her little finger. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” he stopped her, holding a hand up, “It’s as good as yours. Please, keep it.” It sounded almost as though he were begging, so she lowered her hands, nodding once, and went back to face the tree line she’d disappear through. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Only this time, it was only three steps before she was turning back around again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Raoul,” she said quietly, “I know you said I didn’t have to tell you but,” she took a deep breath, “For what it’s now worth, I do love you.” Fearing that it would set off her tears for the third time that day, she didn’t allow any time for responses or last glances before she’d shot off, wrapping her robe tightly around her body. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It felt like forever before she was finally in the warmth of the castle, he cheeks stinging from the cold breeze and fingers numb from the lack of warming charm. It was well past curfew, but she was still a prefect, and could easily talk her way out of anything if a teacher found her. Aurora was walking through one of the many statue-lined halls when a hand reached out from the shadows, grabbing her by the wrist and pulling her against the wall. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She didn’t have time to grab her wand or even scream before one hand was clamped over her mouth, the other holding her arm behind her back. She could feel his warm breath on the back of her neck before he spoke. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Happy Birthday, Rosier,” Tom said, and she could easily imagine the smirk that was gracing his features. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shaking herself slightly, he dropped his hands, letting her turn around to face him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What the fuck was that for?” She hissed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A birthday surprise. Dare I say better than whatever the fuck Malfoy and Avery pulled off this morning.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She groaned, leaning against the wall and letting her head drop back, “What do you want, Riddle?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tom cocked his head to the side, “I only intend on giving you your gift,” he replied innocently. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aurora snorted, “What could you possibly have for me? The corpse of another mudblood?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can’t say I’d thought of that, but I’ll keep it in mind for Christmas,” he said flippantly, before turning more serious, “But no, I need you to follow me.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well I’m actually really not in the mood-” she began, although fell silent when it became apparent that her refusal would be futile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>For something that sounded like she had a choice in the matter, him grabbing her wrist once again and practically dragging Aurora through the school corridors certainly suggested that she didn’t. Conscious that they were still liable to be caught at any moment, she kept her verbal protests to a minimum, as explaining two students out of bed at the same time, prefect or not, was harder than one. She wasn’t even sure where they were headed until he came to a stop outside a door, pushing it open and shoving her through, wasting no time whatsoever. Taking one look at where they were, she rounded on him, feeling a surge of anger shoot through her body.</span>
</p><p>
  <span> “Really?” She demanded, “The second-floor bathroom? Is my gift the news that it’s no longer off-limits? Or a recreation of your favourite performance of mine? Because I would be glad to cut your face open and remind you-“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Enough,” he cut her off firmly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t tell me what to do, Tom Riddle,” she seethed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Evidently,” he deadpanned. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then what are we doing here?” She motioned to the dark bathroom around them, the faint sound of a broken pipe permeating the otherwise silent setting.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>For a moment, she thought he might be having a stroke. His words came out a slur of incomprehensible noises, but it wasn’t until the grinding of stone on stone filled the air around them that she noticed the sinks morphing and moving away from each other, slotting into place until they formed an elaborate passage entrance. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He hadn’t been making a series of meaningless noises at all. He was speaking parseltongue, which could only mean-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Welcome, Rosier, to the entrance of the Chamber of Secrets. Your gift? The chance to be rid of this fucking bond that is set to ruin both of our lives.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She stared at him, dumbfounded. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My gift is that </span>
  <em>
    <span>you’re</span>
  </em>
  <span> going to make a Horcrux that could also possibly make everything worse? How thoughtful.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t say I didn’t try,” he threw over his shoulder, before walking towards the opening and promptly disappearing into the darkness of the tunnel. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She wanted to walk straight back out, go down to the dungeons and proceed with her plan of locking her mind away, but she knew it wasn’t that simple. Instead, she groaned once more, walking over to the ledge carved away from the sinks. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well,” she said aloud to herself, “I don’t know why I ever thought I could just have a normal birthday for once.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She braced her whole body, stepped over the edge and resisted the urge to scream and she felt herself plummet into Merlin knows what was awaiting her below. </span>
</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you for reading this far! Just letting you all know, it's looking unlikely that I'll have another chapter out in the next three weeks. School is a nightmare for me at the moment (I am never opening a Charles Dickens novel again once I'm done) but I'm almost there. I'll be back to posting semi-regularly after that! Have a lovely day, and please feel free to comment/leave kudos xx</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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